The FTSE 100 has risen 0.2% on Wednesday morning, while the FTSE 250 has gained 0.7% as European markets advanced. Germany’s DAX is trading 0.5% higher, and France’s CAC 40 is up 0.6%.
Brent crude eased 0.6% but remained above $102, helping sentiment in sectors sensitive to energy prices.
Airlines are among the strongest performers, with International Airlines Group up 2.8%, Wizz Air gaining 2.2%, and EasyJet climbing 2.7%.
The standout mover in the FTSE 100 is Diploma, which surged 16% after upgrading its fiscal 2026 guidance.
The firm lifted its outlook for organic revenue growth to 9% from 6%, and now expects an operating margin of around 25%, up from 22.5%, representing a roughly 13% upgrade to consensus operating profit expectations.
IAG is the second largest riser, followed by miner Antofagasta, also up 2.8%. The biggest fallers were RELX and British American Tobacco, both down 1.7%, alongside Imperial Brands, which slipped 1.3%.
In the mid-cap index, Softcat jumped 7.7% after reporting an “exceptional” first-half performance and upgrading its full-year profit expectations.
The weakest performer is Ithaca Energy, down 7% following its full-year 2025 results.
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