FTSE 100 Closes at Record 10,460 Points

London's FTSE 100 index closed at a record high on Wednesday, surpassing 10,400 points for the first time, as gains in insurance and betting sectors offset losses in software stocks and volatility in precious metals markets.

The blue-chip index rose 1.44 percent to finish at 10,460 points, marking a year-to-date increase of nearly 5.1 percent. The surge came despite a continued selloff in technology-related shares, triggered by the launch of a new artificial intelligence tool for the legal sector by Anthropic, which prompted sharp declines in companies like Relx and Sage earlier in the week. By afternoon trading, however, broader market momentum shifted, with the index benefiting from advances in other areas.

Leading the risers was insurer Beazley, which jumped 8.53 percent after agreeing to takeover terms with Swiss giant Zurich in an 8 billion pound deal. The news also boosted peer Hiscox by 3.8 percent. Betting firm Entain climbed following a report that its joint venture with MGM Resorts, BetMGM, exceeded expectations for the previous year. In the mining sector, Endeavour Mining and Fresnillo each gained around 3 percent as gold and silver prices stabilized after earlier...