The FTSE 100 surged 188.34 points, or 1.85%, to 10,364.79 on April 2, extending the UK market’s strong momentum as broader risk sentiment improved across large-cap, mid-cap and AIM counters.
The rally was broad-based beyond the headline benchmark. The FTSE 250 climbed 2.28% to 21,688.19, while the FTSE 350 added 1.89% to 5,598.65. The FTSE All-Share also rose 1.89%, underlining strength across sectors rather than a narrow leadership trade. Even higher-beta names participated, with the FTSE AIM All-Share jumping 3.09%, signalling stronger risk appetite in domestic and growth-focused counters.
Despite the sharp index gains, several heavyweight stocks acted as relative laggards. Compass Group plunged 98.58% to 29.55, making it the biggest FTSE 100 faller of the day, followed by Berkeley Group (-9.66%), BP (-5.00%), and Shell (-3.89%). Weakness in oil majors capped what could otherwise have been an even stronger move for the blue-chip benchmark.
The divergence is notable: while energy and selected defensives lagged, the broader FTSE complex still posted near-2% gains, suggesting investors are rotating aggressively into cyclicals, financials and domestic growth names.
