Software gains boost Footsie 20 points to 5489

The UK's benchmark index the FTSE 100 is marginally higher in morning trading with software stocks up after Autonomy said second quarter earnings will be beat earlier expectations.

The Footsie climbed 20.9 points to 5489.1 with Autonomy gaining 25p to 407p, CMG 5.75p to 249.75p, Logica 15p to 795p and Baltimore 1.75p to 20.75p. Oil stocks opened lower with BP falling 6.5p to 570p and Shell 5p to 581p.

In the US the three core indices closed higher yesterday. The tech focused Nasdaq rose 22.55 points to 2026.71, while the Dow Jones climbed 46.72 to 10,299.40 and the Standard & Poor's 500 added 8.19 to 1198.78.

AT&T gained $1.98 to 18.70 on news that investors would collect Comcast shares valued at $12.60 for every share owned in AT&T which is preparing to dispose of its broadband division to the cable TV operator.

Qualcomm added $3.54 to 61.72 when the microchip outfit said it's to form a joint venture with South Korea's SK Telecom. EMC gained 72 cents to $22.32 and Sun Microsystems added $1.14 to 14.82.

In Asia Japan's Nikkei 225 increased 60.73 points to 12,300.41 with Japan Advantest climbing 2.4% to 9380. In Hong Kong the Hang Seng fell 31.59 to 12,659.09 with Cyberworks down 1.1% to HK$2.32.

The Singapore Strait Times added 14.91 to 1669.49 to record its first gain in seven days with Venture adding 4.2% to S$12.40. Australia's ASX200 added 0.4% to 3356.70 with Australian New Zealand Banking Group adding 2.5% to A$15.76 while News Corp fell 1.6% to A$17.47.

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