London's FTSE 100 inched higher in early dealings on the first trading day of 2025 as higher metals prices boosted miners.
The blue-chip index gained 25 points (0.3%) to 8,198, with Fresnillo, Glencore and Anglo American leading the early charge. That was countered by weakness in banks, led by Barclays and HSBC.
In company news, Vodafone has completed the sale of its Italian arm to Swisscom for €8 billion. It plans to use the cash to pay down debt and complete a further €2 billion share buyback.
Revolution Beauty Group has agreed a settlement with investment trust Chrysalis Investments over allegations made by the make-up firm's former shareholder last year. Revolution says it had agreed to pay "a non-material sum" to Chrysalis to settle the dispute "without any admission of liability by either party".
And John Wood Group has completed the sale of its stake in rotating equipment business Ethos Energy for a slightly higher final net cash sum of $138 million.
