FTSE 100 Live: London stocks rocket to 2-month high after US jobs miss

Britain’s FTSE 100 surged after a US jobs report came in weaker than expected, lifting the UK blue-chip index to a two-month high. By early reporting, the FTSE 100 was up 175 points at 10,654, exceeding the FTSE 250’s 0.4% rise. Defence stocks led gains, with BAE Systems and Babcock up more than 6%, while aerospace names Melrose and Rolls-Royce also advanced. Defensive and healthcare names such as AstraZeneca, GSK, Tesco and Haleon moved higher as miners rebounded, led by Antofagasta, and banks and utilities added momentum. Analysts cited a weaker dollar and softer oil prices, alongside falling US Treasury yields, as support for risk sentiment. US futures also improved ahead of the session, with the Dow opening near 52,709.