Investing.com – U.K. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Household Goods & Home Construction , Banking and Aerospace & Defense sectors led shares higher.

At the close in London, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 added 0.22% to hit a new all time high.

The best performers of the session on the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 were Persimmon PLC (LON: PSN ), which rose 3.92% or 47.50 points to trade at 1,258.50 at the close. Meanwhile, Taylor Wimpey PLC (LON: TW ) added 3.18% or 3.65 points to end at 118.60 and NatWest Group PLC (LON: NWG ) was up 2.85% or 11.90 points to 429.60 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Entain PLC (LON: ENT ), which fell 4.27% or 30.20 points to trade at 676.60 at the close. Associated British Foods PLC (LON: ABF ) declined 2.97% or 57.50 points to end at 1,879.50 and Marks and Spencer Group PLC (LON: MKS ) was down 1.92% or 6.50 points to 332.80.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the London Stock Exchange by 888 to 882 and 633 ended unchanged.

Shares in Associated British Foods PLC (LON: ABF ) fell to 52-week lows; falling 2.97% or 57.50 to 1,879.50. Shares in NatWest Group PLC (LON: NWG ) rose to 5-year highs; rising 2.85% or 11.90 to 429.60.

Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.30% or 8.29 to $2,762.61 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 0.87% or 0.66 to hit $74.78 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.81% or 0.64 to trade at $78.36 a barrel.

GBP/USD was unchanged 0.29% to 1.24, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.18% to 0.84.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.06% at 107.90.