FTSE 100 up 0.2, FTSE 250 off 0.5
Shell up after saying Q4 LNG earning might be higher
Miners rise on higher metal prices
U.S. nonfarm payrolls data due at 1330 GMT

Jan 6 Reuters Britain39;s FTSE 100 index hit a ninemonth high on Friday, boosted by energy major Shell and other commoditylinked stocks, ahead of a crucial U.S. jobs report that could offer clues on the Federal Reserve39;s pace of interest rate hikes.

The bluechip FTSE 100 index rose 0.2, extending gains to a fourth straight session. The index was bound for its biggest weekly jump in two months.

Shell Plc climbed 1.2 after it said earnings from its liquefied natural gas trading operations are likely to have been significantly higher in the fourth quarter of last year.

Mining stocks charged ahead, with precious and base metal miners rising more than 1 each as copper and iron ore prices rose.

Market focus is now on the U.S. nonfarm payrolls report from the Labour Department, due at 1330 GMT.

If you have a buoyant jobs data, it shows that there39;s more wiggle room for the Fed to keep raising rates, said Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

Rising interest rates globally weighed on risk sentiment last year as investors worried about a consequent recession. However, the FTSE 100 outperformed major global peers helped by gains in commoditylinked stocks.

The domestically focused FTSE 250 midcap stock index fell 0.5 on Friday, on broadbased losses led by real…