The FTSE100 is over 1% higher in mid-morning trading on a fairly volatile opening for many London blue-chip stocks. It is currently 58.40 points (1.1%) ahead to 5378.60.

The National Landlords Association (NLA) is inviting interested parties to comment on its draft code of practice for providers in the sale and lease back market.

Corporate bonds offer better value than government bonds as normal conditions return to the corporate debt market and spreads fall further, Jewson Associates has asserted.

Swiss Re has purchased Barclays Life, the bank's closed book life assurance business, for £753m.

New Star International has appointed Kanise Chan as associate director of Greater China.

Legal & General posted an 8.7% increase in UK new business in the first half of 2007, with strong annuities sales more than offsetting declines in unit linked bonds and with-profits.

US small-caps are likely to lead the market during a rally but the rallies will be fairly brief, according to Legg Mason's Whitney George.

Activity in the UK service sector shrank again in July, according to the latest CIPS survey.

The FTSE100 has fallen again, down by 43.40 points or 0.81% to 5311.30.

The amount of client money currently held in underperforming 'Dog' funds has climbed by 80pc to over £19bn since the end of last year, according to research by Bestinvest.