Investing.com – U.K. stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Aerospace & Defense , Industrial Metals & Mining and Banking sectors led shares higher.

At the close in London, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 gained 1.06%.

The best performers of the session on the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 were Melrose Industries PLC (LON: MRON ), which rose 6.41% or 31.80 points to trade at 528.00 at the close. Meanwhile, BAE Systems PLC (LON: BAES ) added 4.18% or 66.50 points to end at 1,657.00 and Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LON: RR ) was up 3.24% or 25.00 points to 796.40 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Tesco PLC (LON: TSCO ), which fell 8.69% or 32.30 points to trade at 339.20 at the close. J Sainsbury PLC (LON: SBRY ) declined 7.77% or 19.80 points to end at 235.00 and Marks and Spencer Group PLC (LON: MKS ) was down 5.22% or 18.40 points to 334.40.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the London Stock Exchange by 1239 to 524 and 620 ended unchanged.

Shares in BAE Systems PLC (LON: BAES ) rose to all time highs; up 4.18% or 66.50 to 1,657.00. Shares in J Sainsbury PLC (LON: SBRY ) fell to 52-week lows; falling 7.77% or 19.80 to 235.00.

Gold Futures for April delivery was up 0.27% or 8.19 to $2,999.49 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 1.11% or 0.74 to hit $67.29 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 1.06% or 0.74 to trade at $70.62 a barrel.

GBP/USD was unchanged 0.19% to 1.29, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.41% to 0.84.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.13% at 103.69.