16 February 2021 | 08:50am
StockMarketWire.com - UK stocks opened higher on Tuesday as investors grow increasingly confident that US lawmakers will push through a large stimulus package, while big miners released some positive dividend news.
At 0836, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 16.42 points, or 0.3%, at 6,772.53.
BHP eased back 0.2% to $22.2448 even as it reported a 13% rise in first-half pre-tax profit to $8.83 billion, as revenue was boosted by higher iron ore and copper prices.
The world s biggest mining company hiked its interim dividend 55% to 101p per share. Its bottom line profit fell, though, on a higher tax expense.
Miner and commodities trader Glencore rose 2.1% to 288.35p after it said it would resume dividends in 2021 with a payout of 12c per share.