UK gilts mixed following better-than-expected rise in January flash PMIs

The United Kingdom’s gilts remained mixed during European trading hours Friday following a better-than-expected set of the country’s flash PMIs for the month of January, released today.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year gilts, remained flat at 0.589 percent, the 30-year yield rose 1 basis point to 1.090 percent and the yield on the short-term 2-year lost 1/2 basis point to 0.415 percent by 11:25GMT.

The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit / CIPS Flash UK Composite Output Index – which is based on approximately 85 percent of usual monthly replies – rose to 52.4 in January, from 49.3 in December. As a result, the headline index registered above the crucial 50.0 no-change mark for the first time since August 2019.

At 49.8 in January, the seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS Flash UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) – a composite single-figure indicator of manufacturing performance – picked up from 47.5 in December and was the highest since April 2019.

Lastly, the seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS Flash UK Services PMI Business Activity Index posted 52.9 in January, up sharply from 50.0 in December and the highest reading since September 2018. Mirroring the trend for business activity, latest data also revealed the sharpest increase in new work for 16 months.

Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 jumped over 1.50 percent to 7,625.49 by 11:30GMT.