UPDATE 2-London stocks end at multi-month highs on vaccine optimism, commodity gains

* Travel stocks jump on ease in quarantine period
* Commodity stocks boosted by strong oil, metal prices
* AO World slumps on anticipation of Brexit disruptions

(Updates to close)
By Devik Jain and Ambar Warrick
Nov 24 (Reuters) - Heavyweight commodity stocks pushed
London's blue-chip index to a more than five-month closing high
on Tuesday, while the midcap index ended at a near nine-month
peak as optimism over a coronavirus vaccine increased hopes for
a swift economic recovery.
The commodity-heavy FTSE 100 index .FTSE ended 1.6%
higher, with energy and mining heavyweights BP BP.L and Rio
Tinto RIO.L supporting the index on the back of strong oil and
base metal prices. O/R MET/L
The domestically focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index .FTMC
added 1.1%, ending at its highest level since early-March with
industrial stocks serving as the biggest boost.
Both indexes surged in late trade, tracking gains on Wall
Street after the formal go-ahead for President-elect Joe Biden's
transition to the White House ended weeks of political
uncertainty in Washington. .N
Travel stocks rallied after England said it would introduce
a new COVID-19 "test-and-release" scheme on Dec. 15 to reduce
quarantine periods for incoming passengers from high-risk
countries. "Investors are still thinking long-term post-vaccine at the
moment and are looking into various sectors that have been
haemorrhaged in the last eight months," said Connor Campbell,
financial analyst at Spreadex.
A sharp rally in cyclicals such as energy and bank stocks on
vaccine-related cheer and hopes of a speedy economic recovery
have helped the FTSE 100 index gain more than 14% this month,
setting it on track for its best month on record.
Among individual movers, Catering firm Compass Group Plc
CPG.L rose 2.5% even as it reported a 75.5% slump in annual
pretax profit. Online electricals retailer AO World AO.L sank nearly 10%
after it said it doubled its warehouse capacity to cope with any
possible supply disruptions caused by Brexit.