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UK stocks opened higher on Thursday amid increasing signs that the UK and EU were poised to sign a post-Brexit trade deal.
At 0823, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 21.23 points, or 0.3%, at 6,516.98.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was expected to hold a press conference later Thursday morning, at which he was hoped to detail an historic Christmas Eve agreement.
In corporate news, mining company BHP shed 0.3% to £19.604 said production had restarted at its Samarco iron ore venture with Vale in Brazil, around five years after it was shuttered due to a catastrophic dam collapse.
The mine was initially expected to produce around 8 million tonnes of iron ore pellets per annum, BHP said.
Energy efficiency investor SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust added 0.1% to 107.61p said it had agreed to acquire US solar assets from funds managed by Blackstone for around $150 million.
The deal would see SDCL buy commercial and industrial on-site solar and energy storage projects, together with a 50% interest in the platform that has created them, Onyx Renewable Partners.
Payments group Network International was unchanged at 284p said it was reviewing a report critical of the company by short-seller ShadowFall Research related to its links to failed German group Wirecard.
Network International said while many issues raised in the report had already been address, the historical natural of some of the claims meant its response wouldnt come until the end of January.
Molecular diagnostics group Yourgene Health firmed 3.4% to 15.25p said its genomic services business had been added to a UK-government-approved Covid-19 private testing providers list.
The listing was for the Test to Release for International Travel scheme introduced on 15 December and designed to reduce quarantine periods for travellers arriving in the UK.
Neuroscience analytics group Ixico climbed 4.2% to 105p said it had won a £3.4 million contract for a trial investigating the rare neurodegenerative condition Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 3, also known as Machado-Joseph disease.
Television distribution and production group DCD Media was flat at 200p posted a rise in first-half profit after sales were buoyed by shows including 'The Secrets She Keeps' and 'Penn & Teller: Fool Us in Vegas'.
Pre-tax profit for the six months through September rose to £0.24 million, up from £0.16 million year-on-year, as revenue climbed 63% to £5.79 million.