U.K. stocks were slightly higher on Monday ahead of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmers new governments first budget to be unveiled on Wednesday and the release of the widely watched monthly U.S. jobs report due on Friday.
In the run-up to the Budget, a survey showed business confidence in the U.K. dropped to a four-month low in October.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 12 points, or 0.1 percent, at 8,261 after dropping 0.3 percent on Friday.
Energy stocks traded lower, with BP Plc falling 1.7 percent and peer Shell losing more than 2 percent as crude prices plunged to four-week lows amid easing fears of a Middle East war.
Investors heaved a sigh of relief as Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend avoided the OPEC members oil facilities.