The FTSE 100 rose on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, led by copper miners, as firmer metals prices pushed Antofagasta, Anglo American and Glencore sharply higher in early trading. The blue-chip index was 0.8% firmer at 10,832.78 at 0840 GMT, recovering after a lower close on Tuesday.

Miners were the top performers on the FTSE 100 in the morning session. Copper producer Antofagasta rose 4.17% to 3,362p, Anglo American gained 2.72% to 3,919p, and Glencore added 2.11% to 517.20p, according to early trading data reported by Sharecast. By 1141 GMT, Reuters reported that Anglo American, Antofagasta and Glencore had gained between 2.3% and 2.6%, with the industrial metal miners sector up nearly 2% on the increase in copper prices.

Why miners led the market higher

London's heavyweight miners move the FTSE 100 because the index is packed with global commodity producers, so a firm day for copper can matter as much as any domestic economic news. Copper is used across power grids, electric vehicles and data centres, and demand linked to artificial intelligence infrastructure has kept investors focused on the metal. The Wall Street Journal reported that London miners rose after strong overnight earnings from AI cloud-computing provider CoreWeave improved optimism around the AI trade, noting that data centres rely on copper and other critical minerals.

The rebound in precious metals also helped. Reuters reported that the precious metals mining sector added 1.8%, tracking a 0.4% rebound in gold prices, while the energy sector rose 1.9%, snapping a seven-session losing streak as crude prices recovered from two-month lows. Oil major BP was among the top gainers, up 2.7%, while Shell added 1.6%.

Oil rebound supports energy shares

Brent crude was up 0.6% at $92.02 a barrel at 0840 GMT, with West Texas Intermediate 0.3% higher at $86.29, according to Sharecast. The recovery in oil came after Brent had fallen below $90 a barrel in the previous session, its lowest since August, as fears over disruption to supplies eased. Energy shares had fallen for seven consecutive sessions before Wednesday's rebound, so the turn in crude gave the FTSE 100 a second lift alongside the miners.

Rate outlook still in focus

The gains came despite continued worries about interest rates. On Tuesday, the FTSE 100 gave back the day's gains to end lower at 10,751.59 after hotter-than-expected US inflation figures increased expectations of another Federal Reserve rate rise. Traders priced in a 69% chance of a 25-basis-point Bank of England rate hike in December, according to data compiled by LSEG and reported by Reuters.

Not every part of the market shared in the rally. Homebuilders limited the index's gains, losing 1.4%, as higher mortgage rates continued to weigh on buyer demand. By 1141 GMT the FTSE 100 stood at 10,786.78, up 0.3% on the day, while the midcap FTSE 250 had climbed 0.3%. The morning's strength in miners and energy showed how commodity prices, rather than UK domestic news, set the tone for London shares on Wednesday.