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The FTSE 100 closed up 0.2% to 6,873.26 on Friday despite concern over the Covid-19 situation in the UK, taking its gains for the week as a whole to more than 6%.
In the US the S&P 500 was also modestly higher, up 0.2% by 4.30pm UK time despite the ongoing political turmoil surrounding the last days in office of president Trump and US jobs numbers falling for the first time since April.
Marks & Spencer reported a slump in profits in the run up to Christmas as trading restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic continue to take their toll.
The company said total group revenues fell 8.4% to £2.7 billion in the 13 weeks to 26 December.
Shares dipped 2.4% to 138p, giving up earlier gains.
Barratt Developments said it expected to resume dividend payments in February, and the homebuilder lifted its expectations on annual completions following a better-than-expected first half. The company said it now expected wholly owned completions to be between 15,250 and 15,750 homes in FY21, up from a previous forecast of 14,500 to 15,000.
Its shares rose 4.5% to 720p.
Reach, the owner of the Daily Mirror and Daily Express newspapers, said it expects profits to beat market expectation after a surge in online revenue. Its shares surged 17% to 205.5p.
Rentokil Initial said it has acquired Tampa-based pest control company Environmental Pest Service. The company said that for the full year ending 31 December 2020, it had acquired 23 new businesses with annualised revenues of over £150 million, for a cash spend of £180 million.
Shares rose 2.6% to 545p.
Pets at Home Group has raised its profit expectations following a strong third quarter. It said it expects full-year underlying pre-tax profit, including the previously announced repayment of business rates relief of £28.9 million, to be at least £77 million in a third quarter trading update.
Its share price moved higher by 4.2% to 435p.
Components and solutions company Essentra said it had seen improved performance in the final quarter of its fiscal year and expected to deliver full-year operating profit in line with market expectations. Market consensus for operating profit was in the range of £59 million to £63 million.
Share went up 3.5% to 329.6p.
Real estate group Harworth said it had sold its Bilsthorpe business park in Nottinghamshire for £4.6 million in two separate transactions.
Its shares rose 0.4% to 102.4p.