The FTSE 100 climbed 0.9% on Friday, with broad-based gains across most sectors offsetting weakness in energy stocks.
RELX was among the top performers, advancing around 5%, while Rolls-Royce gained more than 3%.
London Stock Exchange Group and British American Tobacco also rose over 2%.
Reckitt Benckiser also moved higher after announcing the sale of its Russian hygiene business to Arnest Management, a transaction expected to result in a post-tax loss of about £175 million.
In contrast, Shell and BP each fell more than 1% as oil prices retreated following reports that Pakistan, backed by China, was seeking to revive US-Iran peace talks, easing concerns over supply disruptions.
On the macroeconomic front, UK retail sales unexpectedly rose 1% in June, beating forecasts for a 0.3% decline.
Meanwhile, the latest S&P Global PMI survey showed UK business activity returned to expansion and exceeded market expectations.
The FTSE 100 ended the week with a gain of around 1.3%.