FTSE 100 rose 0.6% on Wednesday as investors cheered US President Trump's Beijing visit for talks with Chinese President Xi.
Sterling slipped to $1.3520 per dollar while Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 gained 0.6% and 0.4% respectively.
Babcock warned of a £140 million charge on its Type 31 frigate contract, pushing total losses on the Royal Navy deal beyond £300 million.
BP acquired a 40% stake in a production sharing agreement covering six oil and gas blocks in Uzbekistan’s Ustyurt region.