By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. stocks moved higher Wednesday, with gains for Ashtead Group PLC and TUI Travel PLC shares among those aiding the benchmark FTSE 100 after sharp losses in the previous session.

The FTSE 100 rose 0.4% to 6,553.68, a modest advance after Tuesday's 2.1% selloff that left the index with its lowest close since early November. Other European and Chinese markets also sold off on Wednesday.

Ashtead Group shares popped to the top of the British benchmark Wednesday, climbing 6.7% as the equipment-rental company expects full-year results to surpass its previous expectations. Pretax profit in its fiscal second-quarter rose 33%.

TUI Travel rose 1.1%, finding support after Germany tourist firm TUI AG -- with which it is merging -- swung to a fiscal full-year profit of 104.7 million euros.

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