The FTSE 100 closed above 9,300 for the first time on Thursday, buoyed by upbeat UK borrowing data and firmer signs of economic activity, even as European peers faltered.
The index rose 0.2% to 9,309.20, while the FTSE 250 slipped 0.3% to 21,817.84 and the AIM All-Share edged down 0.1% to 758.86.
Public sector net borrowing dropped sharply to £1.05 billion in July, well below forecasts of £2 billion, marking the lowest July figure in three years. The data offered a reprieve after recent weak releases, though it is unlikely to silence speculation over tax rises in the autumn budget.
WH Smith shares plummeted 42% after uncovering a £30 million accounting overstatement in North America, forcing a profit downgrade. Recruiter Hays lost 1.7% as annual profit halved, though this was in line with its June warning. Renishaw provided a bright spot, jumping nearly 7% as it guided profit to the top end of forecasts.
On the continent, Paris’s CAC 40 fell 0.4%, while Frankfurt’s DAX rose 0.1%. In New York, all three major indices were modestly lower, with investors cautious after a tech rout and awaiting Nvidia’s earnings next week as a sentiment gauge.