India, July 24 -- U.K. stocks are up firmly in positive territory Thursday morning amid easing concerns about trade, as the U.S. and EU appear set to strike a deal sometime soon. Investors are also reacting to earnings updates and the latest batch of regional economic data.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 85.87 points or 0.91% at 9,147.36 about a quarter before noon.
Howden Joinery is soaring 11.6%, buoyed by strong first-half earnings. The company said that its pre-tax profit rose 4.4% to 117 million pounds for the six months ended June 2025.
Reckitt Benckiser is climbing up nearly 11%. The consumer healthcare and hygiene power-house upgraded its full-year guidance after a strong performance in the first-half.
BT Group is gaining about 8...