M&A activity boosts FTSE

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The FTSE 100 closed this afternoon at 6,562.20, an increase of 0.88%, while the FTSE 250 closed at 11,648.40, up 0.56%. M&A speculation surrounding Centrica and InterContinental boosted the markets.

Talk that Russian gas company Gazprom is close to increasing its UK presence also lifted Centrica shares. Meanwhile, in the US, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 3.51, or 0.2%, to 1504.16 this morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2%, to 13,398.46 while the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 0.1%, to 2570.10. The US markets opened lower as a result of investors contemplated rising treasury yields and higher oil prices. IFAOnline

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