• FTSE 100 up 0.2%, FTSE 250 adds 0.3%

May 20 (Reuters) - London equities kicked off the week on a positive note, lifted by a rally among metal miners, while investors await comments from the Bank of England for hints on the central bank's interest rate trajectory.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) New Tab, opens new tab was up 0.2%, as of 0711 GMT on Monday, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 (.FTMC) New Tab, opens new tab climbed 0.3%.

Precious metal miners (.FTNMX551030) New Tab, opens new tab and industrial metal miners (.FTNMX551020) New Tab, opens new tab led sectoral gains, as bullion prices surged and copper hit an all-time peak after top consumer China rolled out property stimulus measures and upbeat industrial output data. MET/

Traders are looking forward to the Bank of England's Deputy Governor Ben Broadbent's speech later in the day for clues that could signal the timing of the first rate cut.

In corporate news, shares of AstraZeneca (AZN.L) New Tab, opens new tab lost 0.2% as the pharma giant announced plans to build a $1.5 billion manufacturing facility in Singapore.

Keywords Studios (KWS.L) New Tab, opens new tab jumped 63.3% as European private equity group EQT (EQTAB.ST) New Tab, opens new tab was in advanced talks to buy the Dublin-based video game services company for $2.79 billion.

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https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-stocks-start-week-positive-mood-metal-miners-shine-2024-05-20/