FTSE 100 RISES AS CHINA DATA BOOSTS MINERS

UK's FTSE 100 ended the week with gains on Friday as miners jumped following better-than-expected data from China, while the prospects of global central banks nearing the end of their monetary tightening further boosted risk sentiment. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index (.FTSE) climbed 0.5%, logging its highest weekly gain since Jan. 6 and hovering around its six-week high. Tracking the metal prices higher, precious metal miners <.FTNMX551030> advanced 3.5%, while industrial metal miners (.FTNMX551020) rose 1.4%. Data showed China's factory output and retail sales grew at a faster pace in August, reflecting signs of stabilising parts in the wobbly economy. Investors now await interest rate decisions by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of England next week after the European Central Bank hiked the key lending rate to a record 4% on Thursday, but signalled that the latest increase would likely be its last.

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