FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Starts Week Higher

The FTSE 100 advanced on Monday but underperformed broader European markets, retracing only part of Friday’s 1.5% decline. A fourth straight session of falling oil prices helped ease worries about persistent inflation, though this also pressured heavyweight energy stocks. Shell slipped 1.1% and BP lost 1.6%, acting as a drag on the index.

Financials lent support, with HSBC up 1.5%, Lloyds Banking Group gaining 1.1% and Barclays rising 1.8%. Rolls-Royce added 1.5%. Mining stocks were mixed: Rio Tinto climbed 0.8%, while Glencore edged lower.

In commodities, gold and silver ticked down as investors weighed inflation risks and the interest-rate outlook following the Federal Reserve’s first rate increase since 2023. Copper prices firmed, buoyed by expectations of tighter supply and signs of improving demand from China.

Elsewhere, JD Sports rose 0.7% after unveiling a long-term franchise agreement with Mexico’s Grupo Axo, marking the sportswear retailer’s first move into the Mexican market.