The FTSE 100 climbed more than 0.5% on Friday to a fresh record high near 10,970, putting the index on track for a weekly gain of around 2.2% and a monthly advance of roughly 4.5%, its strongest performance since February. Investors continued to monitor weaker oil prices and renewed volatility in semiconductor stocks. NatWest jumped nearly 4% after raising its full-year guidance and announcing plans for a share buyback alongside its 2026 annual results. J Sainsbury gained more than 3% after agreeing to sell its Argos business to Swift Partners for at least GBP 120 million. On the downside, Pearson fell almost 4% despite reaffirming its outlook, while IG Group dropped over 5% after announcing a deal worth up to $1.3 billion to acquire US sports prediction platform Underdog. IAG lost around 1.6% after missing revenue estimates and warning of higher fuel costs and prolonged Middle East route suspensions.