U.K. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Automobiles&Parts, Software&Computer Services and Gas, Water&Multiutilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in London, the United Kingdom 100 gained 0.05%.
The best performers of the session on the United Kingdom 100 were Provident Financial PLC (LON:PFG), which rose 16.10% or 71.80 points to trade at 517.80 at the close. Meanwhile, Royal Mail PLC (LON:RMG) added 4.68% or 9.30 points to end at 208.00 and Sage Group PLC (LON:SGE) was up 3.25% or 23.80 points to 757.00 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Hargreaves Lansdown PLC (LON:HRGV), which fell 6.80% or 144.50 points to trade at 1981.50 at the close. Johnson Matthey PLC (LON:JMAT) declined 1.91% or 61.00 points to end at 3135.00 and Rio Tinto PLC (LON:RIO) was down 1.84% or 85.00 points to 4521.00.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the London Stock Exchange by 1195 to 965 and 201 ended unchanged.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.37% or 4.85 to $1333.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July fell 3.81% or 2.04 to hit $51.44 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract fell 2.50% or 1.55 to trade at $60.42 a barrel.
GBP/USD was down 0.04% to 1.2692, while EUR/GBP fell 0.08% to 0.8851.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.21% at 97.200.
