London's FTSE 100 climbs as miners gain on firmer gold prices

FTSE 100 Gains on Higher Gold Prices and Miner Rally Amid Lower Oil Prices

Market Overview and Key Drivers

Nov 9 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 rose on Monday as lower oil prices helped ease inflation worries and rising gold prices lifted stocks of precious metal miners, while investors assessed the UK's latest jobs report.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 0.6% to 10,746.09 points by 1054 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 slipped 0.4%.

Precious Metals and Mining Sector Performance

• Precious metal miners rose 3.4% tracking higher gold prices, with Endeavour Mining, Antofagasta and Anglo American among the benchmark index's top gainers

Gold Prices and Inflation Concerns

• Gold prices were up 0.7% after lower oil prices eased inflation concerns, while investors awaited US inflation data due later this week that could shape expectations for the Federal Reserve's rate path [GOL/]

Gold as an Inflation Hedge

• Although gold is typically seen as an inflation hedge, higher interest rates tend to reduce the appeal of non-yielding bullion

Oil Prices and Energy Sector Impact

• Oil prices fell more than 1%, weighing on energy stocks, after US President Donald Trump said renewed strikes on Iran were unlikely, although attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz continued to fuel supply concerns [O/R]

Sector Performance Highlights

• The household goods index was the worst-performing sector, falling 1.1% as homebuilders Persimmon and Barratt Redrow lost about 1.5% each

UK Economic Data and Central Bank Policy

• On the data front, Britain's jobs market cooled in October, but starting salaries for permanent jobs rose at a faster pace, according to a survey of recruiters published on Monday

• The BoE raised interest rates by a quarter-point to 4% last week and its policymakers warned that at least one more increase was likely if the US-Iran conflict continued. Traders expect at least two 25 basis-point hikes in 2027, according to LSEG data

Individual Stock Movers

• Among individual stocks, GSK rose 1% after the British drugmaker said on Friday it had settled patent litigation with Moderna related to COVID-19 vaccines Spikevax and mNEXSPIKE, and RSV vaccine mResvia, ending lawsuits that alleged the shots infringed GSK's patents

(Reporting by Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Ananda)