Britain's FTSE 250 index hit a record high on Thursday 5 November, boosted by bank stocks ahead of the Bank of England's policy decision. The mid-cap index climbed 0.6% to its all-time high by 1034 GMT, according to Reuters, and reached an intraday high of 25,176.12 during the session.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 rose 0.5% to 10,888.64 by 1034 GMT, a near three-month peak. No record closing high for the FTSE 100 is claimed here: the figures reported are mid-morning levels, not the close.

Banks lead, Hikma lags

Banking stocks extended gains after rallying on Wednesday, rising 1.3% to an over-one-week high, with HSBC the biggest boost, up 1.2%. Precious metal miners rose 5%, helped by gold climbing to a two-week high, and telecom firm BT Group gained 3.5%.

Drugmaker Hikma Pharmaceuticals was the biggest faller on the FTSE 250, down 6%. The FTSE 250, which lists companies ranked 101 to 350 by market capitalisation on the London Stock Exchange, is more focused on the domestic economy than the internationally weighted FTSE 100. Market moves are not investment advice, and a single session's high does not by itself signal a lasting trend.

Sources: Reuters, UK's midcap index at record high ahead of Bank of England rate call, 5 November 2026; The Times, Stock markets rally and oil falls after US midterm elections, 5 November 2026.