FTSE 100 Rises for 2nd Day

The FTSE 100 gained 0.3% on Monday, extending its advance to a second consecutive session. HSBC rose 1%, while Barclays added 0.5% and Standard Chartered climbed 2.8%. Oil majors also moved higher, with Shell and BP gaining 0.8% and 1%, respectively, while Rio Tinto and Glencore advanced 1.3% and 1.6%. Ithaca Energy was among the strongest performers, rising 2.8% after agreeing with Suncor to acquire a portfolio of conventional offshore oil assets in shallow waters off Newfoundland and Labrador for up to $1.1 billion. BT Group added 1.6% after completing its acquisition of TalkTalk out of administration on a debt-free basis. Gains were limited by weakness elsewhere, however, with 3i falling 6%. Healthcare stocks also underperformed, as AstraZeneca and GSK both declined by more than 1%.