FTSE over 4,000 level

The benchmark FTSE 100 index gained 37 points to 4030 this morning, paced by British Land, the landlord to City banks.

British Land rose 11.25p to 484.25p after the company said the value of its assets in the year to March rose to 860p per share, instead of the forecasted net asset value of 817p.

Emap, the publisher of men's magazine FHM, added 12p to 830p after announcing a full-year profit.

GlaxoSmithKline, Europe's largest drugmaker, gained 20p to £12.59, while peer AstraZenica added 36p to £25.38.

GUS, which owns Argos and Homebase, gained another 7p to 635p after yesterday declaring that it will be selling its home shopping division.

Vodafone, gained 1.5p to 124p, despite shareholder anger at chief executive Christopher Gent being awarded bonuses of about £3.9m at the same times as the company reported pre-tax losses of £6.2bn.

In Asia, stocks gained led by Canon, Nissan, Samsung Electronics and other exporters after a US consumer confidence index reached its highest level in six months, and figures showed US new home sales increased last month.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index gained 113.94 points to 8234.18 at the close, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index advanced 82.60 points to 9,503.41.

In New York yesterday, trading ended on a positive note as the Dow Jones Industrial Average index gained 179.97 points to 8,781.35, and the S&P 500 rose 18.26 points to 951.48.

Nasdaq's Composite index advanced by 46.60 points to 1,556.69.

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