Heavyweight banks push FTSE 100 higher after BoE scraps dividend curbs

London's FTSE 100 rose on Tuesday as heavyweight banks jumped after the Bank of England scrapped dividend curbs, but worries over rising coronavirus infections kept gains in check. The mid-cap FTSE 250 index gained 0.2%. British retailers climbed 0.5% after they reported a record annual increase in sales for the three months to the end of June.

London's FTSE 100 rose on Tuesday as heavyweight banks jumped after the Bank of England scrapped dividend curbs, but worries over rising coronavirus infections kept gains in check. Banks gained 2%, the most among sectors after the Bank of England scrapped pandemic-era curbs on dividends from HSBC, Barclays, and other top lenders with immediate effect.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 0.3%, with HSBC, Barclays, and Natwest Group being the top boosts. The mid-cap FTSE 250 index gained 0.2%.

British retailers climbed 0.5% after they reported a record annual increase in sales for the three months to the end of June. Among stocks, British Telecom gained 0.3% after Italy's competition watchdog said it had cleared, with conditions, Telecom Italia's proposed acquisition of some of the British telecom group's business units.

UK commercial property firm British Land Co Plc jumped 1% after it said it had seen a notable improvement in activity across its businesses after the lifting of lockdowns.