FTSE 100 Rises as Gold Tops $5,500; 3i Group and Mining Stocks Surge

The FTSE 100 has climbed 0.6% on Thursday, supported by strength in mining shares as gold extended its record-breaking rally. Germany’s DAX slipped 0.7%, while France’s CAC 40 gained 0.8%.

Spot gold hit a fresh peak of $5,602 overnight, lifting heavyweight miners across the index. Antofagasta has jumped 6.5%, while Endeavour Mining gained 5.1%. Anglo American gained 4.3%, Glencore added 3.8% and Fresnillo climbed 2.8%. Rio Tinto advanced 2.7%.

The top blue-chip performer is 3i Group after the company published its FY2026 third-quarter update. The investment firm said sales at Action, the fast-growing European discount chain that dominates its portfolio, had rebounded early in the new year.

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Like-for-like sales at Action rose 6.1% in the first four weeks of 2026 compared with a year earlier, following an autumn slowdown.

EasyJet also provided an update, reporting that demand for summer travel is “building well” after the airline saw record January booking volumes and revenues.

The company posted a £93 million loss before tax for the three months to December 31, an increase of £32 million on the prior year, but said forward demand trends remain encouraging.

Lloyds Banking Group lifted guidance for 2026 after reporting statutory pre-tax profits of £6.7 billion for 2025, a 12% rise on the previous year, citing improved operational performance across its core businesses.