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UPDATE 2-FTSE 100 hits nine-month high as oil prices jump

Fri, 04th Dec 2020 09:23

* Oil prices jump after OPEC+ inks supply compromise

* UK expects roll-out of Pfizer vaccine in millions

* Brexit talks in tough phase - minister

* FTSE 100 up 0.9%, FTSE 250 up 0.3%
(Adds comments, updates prices throughout)

By Shivani Kumaresan and Shreyashi Sanyal

Dec 4 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 rose to a nine-month
high on Friday as a jump in oil prices boosted energy stocks,
while investors remained focussed on Brexit trade talks with
only four weeks left for Britain's transition period out of the
bloc to end.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 rose 0.9%, with BP and
Royal Dutch Shell among the biggest gainers as major
oil producers agreed to continue production cuts to overcome
coronavirus-induced demand concerns.

The FTSE 100 has soared 17% in the past five weeks as news
that a working COVID-19 vaccine would be available before
year-end sparked hopes of a swift economic recovery, but
analysts have cautioned about the near-term damage to the
economy from sweeping business restrictions.

Data on Thursday showed activity in the UK services sector
in November suffered its first fall since June following a
four-week partial lockdown across England.

The mid-cap FTSE 250, considered a barometer of
Brexit sentiment, rose 0.3%, led by the real estate, technology
and consumer staples sectors.

Brexit trade talks are in a difficult phase and a deal can
only be struck if the European Union accepts that Britain is a
sovereign nation, a British minister said on Friday after London
indicated the chance of a breakthrough was receding.

"For UK stocks, it may well be that Brexit progress ignites
a new bounce, but then it might do the same for sterling,
dampening down enthusiasm for UK stocks at precisely the moment
that they might be expected to shine," said Chris Beauchamp,
chief market analyst at IG.

"At present the market just seems happy to take any deal...
but even without one, the hints about carrying on negotiations
in January provides hope that there won't be a cliff-edge moment
to kick off 2021, just yet more interminable talking."

McBride Plc jumped 7.3% after raising its full-year
earnings outlook, while Housebuilder Berkeley Group
shed 1.8% as it posted a fall in first-half profit.
(Reporting by Shivani Kumaresan and Shreyashi Sanyal in
Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu, Shounak Dasgupta and
Jonathan Oatis)

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