The FTSE 100 ondex gained 52.60 points or 0.9% to close at 5,844 points today, led by copper miner Xstrata as its profits pleased investors.
Xstrata gained 5.53% to £17.57 after it predicted commodity prices will remain above long-term averages for a number of years, alongside a 60% rise in net profit to $1.71bn in 2005. Chemical firm BOC also did well after good results from peer Air Liquide yesterday, while traders continued to speculate on a possible bid for the group with rumours of a possible £16.40 bid from Linde. BOC shares rose 2.45% to £15.47. Vodafone was another strong performer, gaining 2.52% to 111.75p, as it clawed back some of its recent losses following news earlier in the week of an "impairment charge" of as...
To continue reading this article...
Join Professional Adviser for free
- Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
- Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
- Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
- Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
- Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
- Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes