Commodity stocks lift FTSE 100 on upbeat China factory data; Vodafone shines

The domestically focussed mid-cap FTSE 250, considered a barometer for Brexit sentiment, advanced 0.9%, after Britain said on Monday its red lines remained unchanged but that it wanted to reach a trade deal with the European Union if the bloc chose to make progress.

London's FTSE 100 rose on Monday as commodity stocks jumped on upbeat factory data from China, while investors awaited progress on a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union. The blue-chip index gained 0.6%, with Vodafone Plc adding 2.4% after the mobile operator said it was increasingly confident about its full-year performance following a "resilient" first half.

Energy and mining stocks tracked crude and metal prices higher, as a faster-than-expected growth in the Japanese economy and better-than-expected Chinese industrial output added to the enthusiastic mood about an effective COVID-19 vaccine. The domestically focussed mid-cap FTSE 250, considered a barometer for Brexit sentiment, advanced 0.9%, after Britain said on Monday its red lines remained unchanged but that it wanted to reach a trade deal with the European Union if the bloc chose to make progress.