AUS
NZ
UK
CA
USA
IND
_06_19_2026_12_34_15_139937.jpg)
FTSE 100 extends gain, GBP jumps 1.7%; Wall Street opens in green
UK stock markets moved slightly higher in the late afternoon deals on Wednesday, 23 December, with the headline stock index FTSE 100 extending the morning gains taking the positive cues from a higher opening on Wall Street. The Great Britain pound also regained its ground against the United States dollar in the foreign exchange market, further supporting the London equities.
FTSE 100 extends gain
At around 14:55 GMT, the benchmark FTSE 100 was trading at 6,484.78, up 31.62 points, or 0.49 per cent from the previous closing of 6,453.16. The index has touched an intraday high and low of 6,486.17 and 6,431.21, respectively.
The wider share barometer FTSE 250 rose higher than the compact pack of top 100 constituents today, while FTSE 350 and FTSE All-Shares soared up to 0.70 per cent. According to the data available with the London Stock Exchange, the FTSE 250 made an intraday peak of 20,261.57, up 1.56 per cent from the last close of 19,950.72.
Factors driving market
The domestic markets held the opening gains on Wednesday after the Downing Street administration reached an agreement with the France government to open the freight corridor and air, rail and sea services for the people willing to travel to France from the United Kingdom. However, the still-hanging trade arrangement continued to add fears along with the jittery around newly-identified mutated strains of coronavirus.
GBP strengthens
As per Reuters data, the GBP vs USD pair saw a considerable appreciation on Wednesday with the pound sterling rising more than 1.7 per cent in the trade, recovering more than the losses recognised on Tuesday. A unit of pound sterling equalled a high of 1.3537 US dollars after touching a low of 1.3354 US dollars. At around 14:58 GMT, the pound sterling was trading at 1.3524, up 1.23 per cent from the previous close, the Reuters data showed.
GBP vs USD
(Source: EODHD/Others, Thomson Reuters)
Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market swung into red with bitcoin trading 0.91 per cent lower at $23,662.42, according to the Binance.
Commodity check
Commodity market also saw a reversal with an ounce of gold trading 0.09 per cent higher at $1,861.26. The Brent crude oil was trading 1.42 per cent higher at $50.80 a barrel, while NYMEX crude oil was trading at $47.80 per barrel, up 1.63 per cent.
