BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks eked out modest gains on Thursday amid optimism that the U.K. and EU were making progress in securing a trade deal.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 22 points, or 0.4 percent, at 5,604 after declining 2.6 percent on Wednesday.
Security provider G4S was declining 0.6 percent. The company's Board has unanimously rejected a 190 pence per share takeover offer by GardaWorld Security Corp., calling it inadequate.
Royal Dutch Shell rallied 2.3 percent. The oil major increased dividend to shareholders after posting better-than-expected third-quarter earnings.
Smith+Nephew shares fell about 1 percent. The medical technology company reported a fall in quarterly underlying revenue.
Telecoms giant BT Group jumped 7 percent after boosting its earnings guidance for the full year.
Lender Standard Chartered slumped 5.2 percent after its third-quarter pretax underlying profit declined 40 percent.
Lloyds Banking Group rose about 3 percent. The bank posted a forecast-beating quarterly profit amid a surge in demand for home loans.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2020 AFX News
