Nov. 6 (Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks advanced, paring an earlier decline, as mining shares rebounded and British Airways Plc rallied.

The FTSE 100 Index climbed 16.84, or 0.3 percent, to 5,142.48 at 2:49 p.m. in London. The measure earlier dropped as much as 0.9 percent after a report showed U.S. unemployment rate jumped to a 26-year high.

Anglo American Plc rallied 2.2 percent to 2,395 pence as gold futures rose to a record $1,101 an ounce in New York. Rangold Resources Ltd. added 1.3 percent to 4,619 pence.

British Airways, Europe’s third-largest airline, surged 6.3 percent to 198 pence.

Last Updated: November 6, 2009 09:56 EST