British stocks closed higher on Friday, driven by gains in defence and mining shares, ending a choppy week filled with uncertainty around U.S. tariffs. The benchmark FTSE 100 gained 1.1%, set for its best day in over one month.

UK Stocks Set for Second Consecutive Weekly Drop

New York’s top index, the S&P 500, was making strides after markets opened, reversing some of the heavy losses from recent days.

The FTSE 100 slipped on Tuesday, as gains in the pound and declines in travel and leisure stocks kept a recovery from the previous session's selloff in check, while the midcap index regained ground. The blue-chip index FTSE 100 lost 0.

The UK benchmark is up by 0.2%, while the Stoxx 600 is about flat. Stocks in Germany, France and Italy are falling, while those in Spain are up. US stock futures are showing the most clear direction, sinking for both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100.