The U.K. market is notably higher in afternoon trading Wednesday, led by miners, as an increase in manufacturing activity in China cheered sentiment.
Crude for October delivery is trading higher by $0.56 at $72.48 per barrel and gold is gaining $5 at $1255.3 an ounce.
In economic news, U.K. manufacturing activity fell to a nine-month low in August with rates of production as well as incoming new orders slowing, survey data showed. According to Markit Economics, the CIPS manufacturing purchasing managers' index came in at a seasonally adjusted 54.3, down from 56.9 in July.
German retail sales fell 0.3% in real terms in July from the prior month, the Federal Statistical Office said. Economists had expected a 0.5% rise in sales in July after falling by 0.3% in June. Year-on-year, retail turnover recorded a real growth of 0.8%, smaller than the 4.7% increase seen in June.
Yet another report showed that Germany's headline BME manufacturing PMI slid to 58.2 from 61.2 In July. The reading was unchanged from the flash PMI reading published earlier.
In France, manufacturing activity rose at a faster than expected pace in August, Markit Economics said. The manufacturing PMI came in at a seasonally adjusted 55.1, up from 53.9 in July and also above the earlier estimate of 54.7.
In Eurozone, manufacturing activity fell to a six-month low in August. Markit Economics said the manufacturing PMI came in at a seasonally adjusted 55.1, down from 56.7 in July, but up from the earlier estimate of 55.0.
In China, manufacturing activity rebounded in August. Markit Economics said the HSBC manufacturing PMI stood at a seasonally adjusted 51.9, up from 49.4 in July.
The FTSE 100 opened at 5,225 and has been rising for most part of the session. The index is currently cruising higher by 1.39%.
Cable & Wireless Worldwide and TUI Travel are gaining 5.2% each. Patagonia Gold is rising 4.7%, followed by Fresnillo, which is up 3.9%.
Miners Kazakhmys, Xstrata, Antofagasta, Lonmin, Rio Tinto, Vedanta Resources and Eurasian Natural Resources are adding between 3.1% and 2.2%. Anglo American and BHP Billiton are up 1.7% and 1.4%, respectively.
Among lenders, Barclays is climbing 2.26%, Royal Bank of Scotland is gathering 1.48% and Lloyds Banking Group is adding 0.74%. However, HSBC Holdings is dropping 0.15%.
Oil firms Royal Dutch Shell is climbing 1.6%, BT Group is rising 1.65% and BP is advancing 1.09%.
Losers on the index include utility National Grid, which is declining 0.36%.
Elsewhere in Europe, the German DAX is gaining 1.08% and the French CAC 40 is advancing 1.78%.
Across Asia/Pacific, most major markets rallied. Australia's All Ordinaries gained 1.98%, Japan's Nikkei 225 added 1.17% and India's BSE Sensex climbed 1.31%. However, China's Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.60%.
The U.S. futures point to a higher open on Wall Street. In the previous session, the Nasdaq slipped 0.3%, the Dow edged up less than 0.1% and the S&P 500 rose less than 0.1%.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.