U.K. stocks advanced on Tuesday despite the latest set of unemployment figures showing a record number of redundancies.
The U.K. unemployment rate increased and the employment rate continued to decline in three months to November, labor force survey results from the Office for National Statistics showed.
The jobless rate rose 0.6 percentage points from the previous quarter to 5 percent in three months to November. The expected rate was 5.1 percent.
At the same time, the employment rate dropped 0.4 percentage points sequentially to 75.2 percent. Employment decreased by 88,000 on the quarter.
The number of people out of work increased by 202,000 on quarter to 1.72 million in three months to November.
The benchmark FTSE 100 rose 45 points, or 0.7 percent, to 6.683 after declining 0.8 percent on Monday.
Hikma Pharmaceuticals rose over 1 percent. The company confirmed that it has entered into a non-binding term sheet with GlaxoSmithKline S.A.E., the Egyptian subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline plc.
Aerospace company Rolls Royce slumped 9 percent after it warned of significant uncertainty over the "precise shape and timing of the recovery in air traffic".
JD Sports Fashion lost 3.3 percent. The company announced that it is exploring additional funding options with a view to increasing its flexibility to invest in future strategic opportunities and that this may involve a non-pre-emptive equity placing.
British Airways owner IAG lost 2.8 percent and EasyJet fell 1.4 percent amid the prospect of tougher restrictions in England and other European countries.
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