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"U.S. data is providing what markets have been looking for in terms of a wider economic improvement and rising employment"
- Witold Bahrke, a senior strategist at PFA Pension A/S
U.K. banks were closed on Monday in observance of Boxing Day.
U.K. stocks rose on Friday amid better-than-expected economic data from the world's largest economy. The benchmark FTSE 100 index gained 1.02%, or 55.73 points, to 5,512.70. The FTSE All-Share Index edged higher 0.98%, or 27.48 points, to 2,827.09.
"U.S. data is providing what markets have been looking for in terms of a wider economic improvement and rising employment," said Witold Bahrke, a senior strategist at PFA Pension A/S in Copenhagen.
Nationwide Building Society is to announce its month on month house price index on Friday. Economists expect house prices to rise 0.3 percent in December, after increasing 0.4 percent in November.