London's FTSE 100 climbs, supported by defensive healthcare and beverage stocks, as investors awaited U.S. payrolls data for clues on the Federal Reserve's policy path.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index CURRENCYCOM:UK100 rose 0.5% to 10,532.93 points by 1153 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 FTSE:MCX slipped 0.2%.
The healthcare sub-index (.FTNMX201030) rose 1.4%, boosted by AstraZeneca LSE:AZN, which gained 1.4% after striking a deal worth up to $1.77 billion with China's CSPC Pharmaceutical Group HKEX:1093 to develop kidney disease treatments.
Consumer-focused stocks including Tesco LSE:TSCO, Coca-Cola HBC LSE:CCH, and J Sainsbury LSE:SBRY rose between 2.6% to 1.8% each.
The U.S. non-farm payrolls report is due at 8:30 a.m. ET, with investors watching for signals on the health of the labor market and monetary policy path.
Economists expected the Labor Department's closely watched employment report to keep a September interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve on the table amid rising inflation from the U.S.-led war with Iran.
On the geopolitical front, Iran and the U.S. concluded a round of indirect talks in Doha on Wednesday without any clear breakthrough toward a lasting peace agreement, still oil prices slid as supply concerns around Strait of Hormuz eased.
Among individual UK stocks, British electricals retailer Currys LSE:CURY fell 3.7% after it warned that a global memory-chip shortage could drive up prices for smartphones, laptops and other electronics later this year.
Shares of Genel Energy LSE:GENL rose 4.6% after the Kurdistan-focused oil and gas producer agreed to acquire Britain's Capricorn Energy LSE:CNE in a $360 million all-cash deal.