FTSE 100 Kicks Off Busy Earnings Week with Modest Gains

The UK's FTSE 100 climbed slightly on Monday, commencing a week brimming with corporate earnings announcements from major players like AstraZeneca and BP, alongside a pivotal interest rate decision from the Bank of England.

By midday, the blue-chip FTSE 100 rose 0.1% to 9730.1 points, maintaining the momentum of its near 4% rise in October. In contrast, the FTSE 250 midcap index fell 0.1%. This week, the market anticipates earnings reports from notable firms including AstraZeneca, BP, Diageo, and IAG.

With the Bank of England set to hold interest rates steady on Thursday, analysts are observing the potential implications of recent soft inflation and wages data for future rate cuts. Meanwhile, life insurers and banks were prominent gainers, whereas industrial metal miners lagged. Among other developments, Frasers and Vodafone experienced significant share price tumbles following analyst downgrades.