FTSE 100 Up Marginally

(RTTNews) - The U.K. stock market is up marginally Friday afternoon with investors mostly making cautious moves, reacting to corporate news. Mining and energy stocks are gaining some ground in positive territory, while bank stocks are a bit weak.

The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 16.72 points or 0.19% at 8,989.36 a little while ago.

Schroders, Antofagasta, Melrose Industries and Marks & Spencer are up 2 to 2.5%. BAE Systems and Rentokil Initial are gaining nearly 2%.

Anglo American Plc, ICG, Kingfisher, Endeavour Mining, DCC, 3i Group, Coca-Cola HBC, Associated British Foods, Glencore and JD Sports Fashion are up 1 to 1.8%.

Mining giant BHP moved higher after reporting record annual iron ore and copper output.

BP is up 1.5%. The energy major announced the sale of its US onshore wind business to LS Power, part of its $20 billion divestment plan to streamline operations and refocus on selected low-carbon assets.

GSK is down more than 5% after a U.S. FDA advisory panel recommended against approving its blood cancer drug Blenrep.

Mondi is down 3.4%. Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, Natwest Group, Airtel Africa and Centrica are down 0.7 to 1.2%.