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UK stocks closed higher on Friday after Donald Trump laid out plans to 're-open' the US economy in stages and as US drug-maker Gilead reported promising early trial data for its coronavirus treatment.
At 4.35pm the benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 2.6% to 5,773 points, led by industrial and travel and leisure stocks.
Shares in aerospace suppliers Melrose and Rolls Royce were among the biggest gainers, adding 9% and 6% respectively to 89p and 329p after US aircraft-maker Boeing said it would re-open its Seattle factory.
Meanwhile gambling firm Flutter, owner of the Paddy Power brand, soared 15% to £87.05 after reporting better than expected first quarter sales as punters enjoyed online gaming in the absence of sporting events.
Mining company Rio Tinto rose 3.1% to £38.09 as it reported a rise in first-quarter iron ore production after its operations recovered from cyclone activity in Australia a year earlier.
Demand in China 'continued to recover', with demand for iron ore 'solid' as steel mills began re-stocking despite the pandemic.
Premier Inn hotel chain owner Whitbread rose 4.8% to £26.99 after confirming that it was eligible for the UK government's corporate debt initiative designed to help companies weather the pandemic.
Primark owner Associated British Foods added 2.4% to £19.83 as it too confirmed it was eligible for the government programme.
Hedge fund manager Man Group gained 3.2% to 126p, despite racking up heavy losses on its long-only equity strategies in the first quarter, as it became one of the few companies not to cancel its 2019 final dividend.
Man said it would also keep its share buyback going, as it continued to experience net inflows into its hedge fund strategies.
Among small-cap stocks, estate agency Foxtons rallied 23% to £47.25, even as it booked a fall in quarterly revenue, as investors snapped up its £22m equity raise designed to bolster its balance sheet.
Estate agency Purplebricks added a more modest 4.6% to 35.9p on news that James Davies would resign as its chief financial officer next month to be replaced by Andrew Botha, the former CFO of Zoopla property owner ZPG.
Weighing on the FSTE were 'defensive' stocks such as water utilities Severn Trent and United Utilities, which lost 2% and 1.3% to £22.95 and 889p respectively.
Healthcare services group Mediclinic International tumbled 7% to 249p as it suspended dividend payments and agreed debt covenant waivers.
Flexible office space supplier Workspace dropped 0.7% to 767p after offering customers at its business centres a 50% rent reduction during the UK government Covid-19 lockdown period.