FTSE 100 holds steady as cyclical stocks take the lead

Investors in the UK are looking to make the most of the final session of the week, with buying interest focused primarily on cyclical and higher-beta stocks. Traditional defensive sectors are attracting less demand as investors currently see less need for their usual safe-haven characteristics.

As a result, mining stocks are once again among the strongest performers, with Fresnillo, Antofagasta and Endeavour Mining leading the gainers towards the end of the week.

Overall trading is likely to remain relatively subdued today. Technology stocks continue to set the tone across global equity markets, but their relatively low weighting in the FTSE 100 limits the extent to which the UK benchmark can participate in the broader tech-driven momentum.