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Having earlier traded at a five-month low the FTSE 100 closed 0.2% higher at 5,789.03 with sterling weakness helping to give the index a fillip.
Sentiment was boosted by better-than-expected US unemployment figures with jobless claims at their lowest levels since the beginning of the Covid crisis.
In a see-saw session on Wall Street, this catalyst, combined with hopes of progress on US stimulus, helped the S&P 500 to tick up 0.1% to 3,440.01 by 4.30pm UK time.
In corporate news British Airways owner International Airlines Group swung to a substantial third-quarter loss and warned it no longer expected to breakeven on cash flows in the fourth quarter after slashing its capacity amid a surge in Covid-19 cases.
It planned for capacity in the fourth quarter of 2020 to be no more than 30% compared to 2019, citing the high uncertainty of the current environment.
The shares recovered earlier losses to trade 4.6% higher at 105.1p.
Consumer goods giant Unilever reported underlying sales growth of 4.4% for the third quarter of 2020. It ticked up 0.3% to £47.15.
Estate agent Countrywide's shares slumped 11.5% to 163.3p as it urged shareholders to back a recapitalisation plan. The plan would see Alchemy take a majority stake in the company with a £90 million investment and shake up the board with a new leadership team.
Renishaw's stock dipped 0.5% to £56.80 as it reported that its adjusted profit before tax jumped by more than 300% in the three months to the end of September when compared to the same period last year.
Total revenue for the quarter declined to £116.9 million, down by 6%, but profit before tax reached £18.3 million compared to £4.3 million a year earlier.
Builders merchant Travis Perkins recorded like-for-like revenue growth of 3.9% in the third quarter of 2020, it announced this morning.
It cited strong performance from its Wickes and Toolstation brands, with the latter recording like-for-like sales growth of 25.5%.
Travis Perkins shares were up 1.2% to £12.35.
Mining company Anglo American reported a 24% rise in quarterly production in the third quarter compared to the second.
Its share price was up 0.1% at £19.53.
Rentokil Initial reported ongoing revenue growth of 9.8% in the third quarter of 2020 as it returned to a programme of acquisitions.
The company's shares were up 3.9% on the news to 537.2p.
FTSE 250-listed Spectris reported a like-for-like sales decline of 9% in the third quarter of 2020, up from -18% in Q2.
Its shares fell 3.1% to £25.83.
Publishing and events company RELX's shares dropped 1% to £16.37 after it reported a 70% decline in revenue for its exhibitions and events business over the course of 2020 to the end of September.
Mining company Polymetal International reported a 35% jump in third-quarter revenue as gold and silver prices rose. Revenue for the period reached $884 million.
Its shares were up 0.5% to £17.75.
West End property investor Shaftesbury fell 15.7% to 420p on news of a discounted cash call.
Online comparison site Moneysupermarket.com reported a 16% fall in revenue in the third quarter of 2020 amid tighter bank lending conditions.
Its stock fell by 9.9% to 240.6p
Online music and equipment retailer Gear4music upgraded its outlook after reporting a jump in sales in the first of the year as strong demand continued. It rose 1.5% to 700p.