UK's FTSE 100 steadies after worst week since April as miners gain

FTSE 100 Rises After Losses, Led by Mining Gains and Oil Price Moves

Market Overview and Key Drivers

Oct 5 (Reuters) - The UK's FTSE 100 rose on Monday, steadying after its steepest drop since April last week, as mining shares led gains and oil prices stayed in check.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 0.19% to 10,481.20 points at 1018 GMT. The midcap FTSE 250 dipped 0.32% to 24,114.77 points.

Mining and Commodity Performance

• Precious metal miners rose 0.55% as prices of spot gold and silver jumped 0.35% and 2.06%, respectively.[GOL/]

Oil Price Movements and Energy Sector

• Brent crude futures dipped 0.19% to $102.04 a barrel in choppy trading, after exports from the Middle East increased and the Group of Seven nations pledged to boost supplies.[O/R]

Geopolitical Influences

• Still, the conflict between Yemen's internationally recognised government and Iran-backed Houthis kept investors on edge.

Impact on UK Economy

• A survey on Monday showed British services firms reported stronger cost pressures last month as fuel prices surged due to the Middle East conflict.

• Fuel prices have been under scrutiny owing to their impact on inflation expectations and the Bank of England's interest rate trajectory.

Monetary Policy and Rate Expectations

• "Energy prices have risen too sharply, and a drop seems too distant a prospect for the MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) to sit on its hands and hope second-round effects fail to materialise," economists at Pantheon Macroeconomics wrote.

• Traders currently see a nearly 95% chance of a rate hike at the next central bank meeting in November, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Company Movers

• Ithaca Energy rose 3.5% and was the top gainer on the FTSE 100 after it agreed to acquire Suncor Energy's offshore oil assets for $842 million in upfront cash.

• "The industry has consistently bemoaned the tinkering in the fiscal and regulatory set-up for oil and gas in the UK and this deal for Canadian assets provides a level of diversification," said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

• Investment firm 3i Group hit its lowest level since late June and was last down 4.4%.

(Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Priyanka G)