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The UK market is up in positive territory a little past noon on Friday, supported by solid gains in the mining sector thanks to higher metal prices. Investors are also digesting the data showing the UK economy<\/span> stagnated in July as expansions in services and construction sectors were offset by the decline in industrial production.<\/p>\n The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 33.97 points or 0.36% at 9,331.55 a few minutes past noon.<\/p>\n Beazley is gaining about 3.2%. Glencore is up nearly 3%, while Hiscox, Antofagasta, Fresnillo, Centrica, Anglo American Plc, United Utilities, Relx, Legal & General and Weir Group are gaining 1.5 to 2.6%.<\/p>\n Pershing Square Holdings, Severn Trent, Associated British Foods, BAE Systems, Phoenix Group Holdings, SSE, WPP, Airtel Africa and Endeavour Mining are also notably higher.<\/p>\n Among the losers, JD Sports Fashion is down 2% and Marks & Spencer is declining by about 1.1%. Prudential, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Ashtead Group and BP are down 0.7 to 1%.<\/p>\n Data from the Office for National Statistics showed the UK’s real gross domestic product showed no growth in July, after rising 0.4% in June. The dominant services sector expanded 0.1% and construction grew 0.2%. Meanwhile, industrial production fell 0.9%.<\/p>\n On a yearly basis, GDP was up 1.4% in July, slightly slower than the economists’ forecast of 1.5%.<\/p>\n In the three months to July, real GDP advanced 0.2%, following a 0.3% rise in the three months to June.<\/p>\n Another report from the ONS showed that the visible trade deficit remained broadly unchanged in July. The trade gap totaled GBP 23.68 billion compared to GBP 23.65 billion in June.<\/p>\n At the same time, the surplus on services dropped to GBP 15.28 billion from GBP 15.42 billion in the previous month. As a result, the total trade balance posted a deficit of GBP 8.4 billion versus a GBP 8.23 billion shortfall a month ago. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Market Analysis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n