FTSE 100 Climbs Amid Sterling Dip and Halma Surge

The UK's blue-chip FTSE 100 surged to a near two-week high as a fall in sterling and a rise in Halma's shares countered a decline in JD Sports following a profit warning. The midcap index also saw gains, while Britain's borrowing challenges and inflation rates remain key concerns for investors.

Thursday saw the UK's prominent FTSE 100 index rise to its highest in nearly two weeks, buoyed by a weaker sterling and a notable increase in Halma shares, which helped offset a significant drop in JD Sports. By the close, the FTSE 100 was up 0.8%, marking its best performance since November 8th.

The fall in sterling benefitted international firms like AstraZeneca, Shell, and BP, whose stocks rose in response. Halma was a standout performer, climbing 5.7% after its health and safety device division reported impressive growth in both revenue and profit for the first half of the year.

Contrastingly, JD Sports Fashion saw its shares plummet by 15.5% following a warning that annual profits would likely fall at the lower end of projected figures due to difficult market conditions including discounting and mild weather. Meanwhile, the midcap index rebounded by 0.5% after a poor start earlier in the day.

(With inputs from agencies.)