The FTSE 100 rose 0.3% on Wednesday, outperforming European peers, driven by a surge in copper miners. Antofagasta (+9.2%) led gains after US rival Freeport-McMoRan said suspending its massive Indonesian copper mine would reduce copper and gold output, pushing copper prices above $10,000 a ton, their highest since 2024. As the only pure-play copper miner in the FTSE 100, Antofagasta benefited more than diversified rivals like Anglo American (+4.2%), Rio Tinto (+1.1%), and Glencore (+3%). Defence stocks rose following Trump’s comments on NATO and Ukraine, while JD Sports slipped 1.6% after a drop in like-for-like sales, especially footwear, reflecting cautious consumer sentiment, though the retailer maintained its guidance.