Good morning from London where the FTSE 100 gained on Friday, aided by mining companies as the price of gold climbed to yet another record.
Fresnillo and Endeavour were among the index’s biggest risers early on, as gold ticked up as high as US$2,568 an ounce on growing expectations for a US rate cut next week.
Elsewhere, plans for Vodafone’s merger with Three faced a blow as Britain’s competition watchdog raised concerns that the tie-up could lead to higher prices for mobile customers.
Paddy Power owner Flutter looked to solidify its spot as a major player in the Brazilian sports betting market with the purchase of a major stake in local betting firm NSX Group.
And finally, National Grid firmed up plans for Britain’s electricity system operator to be taken into public ownership, announcing Friday the government would pay £630 million under the deal.