LONDON MARKETS: FTSE 100 Moving Toward Best Monthly Gain In Nearly A Year

By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. stocks moved higher Friday, keeping the benchmark FTSE 100 on track to wrap up the month of January with a gain.

The FTSE 100 rose 0.4% to 6,838.47, and was looking at a 3.8% rise for the month. That would be its best monthly performance since a 4.6% rise in February 2014, according to FactSet data.

Mining and energy shares were among the top gainers following a generally rough month for the sectors. Copper miner Fresnillo PLC rose 3.3%, energy services firm Weir Group PLC climbed 2.3% and miner Randgold Resources Ltd. advanced 2%.

But BT PLC shares dipped 1.4%. The telecom company posted a better-than-expected rise in third-quarter profit to 558 million pounds ($841 million), but revenue declined 3% to GBP4.47 billion, below the consensus estimate of GBP4.49 billion. The company has said it will pay GBP2 billion into their pension scheme over the next three years. It said GBP1.5 billion of that will be paid before the end of April.

Shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group PLC turned fractionally lower. They had been higher at the start of trade after the British Airways parent said Qatar Airways had bought a 9.99% stake in the company. IAG said it "welcomes Qatar Airways' statement that it would look to strengthen existing commercial ties."

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