British Equities Surge as Healthcare and Mining Lead the Way

British equities closed on a positive note on Wednesday, buoyed by gains in healthcare and mining sectors as global investors assessed risks and monitored international trade developments.

The FTSE 100 rose by 0.2%, with midcap index up by 0.5%, buoyed by heavyweight healthcare stocks like AstraZeneca, which climbed over 1%.

Industrial metal miners also posted gains, rising by 1.4%, in line with higher base metal prices. Meanwhile, Babcock saw a significant 4.3% increase, driven by JP Morgan's favorable outlook. Conversely, the energy sector faced pressure, declining by 1.4% amid a drop in crude oil as U.S. data revealed larger-than-anticipated inventories of gasoline and diesel.

(With inputs from agencies.)