The FTSE 100 edged up on Wednesday, outperforming its European peers thanks to gains in energy shares. Oil majors Shell and BP rose 1.8% and 2.8%, respectively, due to a renewed advance in oil prices. Defence stocks also performed well, with aerospace company BAE Systems up 1.9%, submarine contractor Babcock climbing 2.6%, and engine-maker Rolls-Royce rising 1.3%. On the other hand, JD Sports tumbled more than 3% after maintaining its guidance, and trimming its outlook last month amid weakness in the trainer market. Diageo fell around 0.8% after appointing Joanne Wilson, currently CFO of WPP, as its new chief financial officer from 2027. Meanwhile, Airtel Money confirmed plans for a London listing that could become the city’s largest IPO since 2021. On the data front, the UK Composite PMI eased to 51.7 in September, slightly under market expectations of 52.