The FTSE 100 edged higher on Wednesday, trading near record levels above 10,160, supported by strong gains in mining stocks as metal prices pushed to new highs. Endeavour gained nearly 3% and Fresnillo more than 2% as rising gold and silver prices lifted sentiment, while Glencore climbed around 1.5% alongside firmer base metal prices. AstraZeneca also added over 1%, providing further support. In contrast, oil majors underperformed, with Shell and BP slipping, after BP flagged $4–5 billion of impairment charges, mainly tied to its gas and green energy businesses as it refocuses on oil and gas. Vistry Group fell over 4% despite saying 2025 profit should meet expectations, citing market uncertainty and delayed deals. Pearson dropped more than 3%, even after confirming profit guidance, as solid operational performance failed to excite investors
