FTSE end week back above 5,000 mark

The oil price declined 0.8% again to $50.98 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, bringing the weekly increase back down to 5.5%. BHP Billiton lead the benchmark up 30.50p or 4.14% to 768p, after analysts raised the firm’s earnings estimates, along with Cairn Energy advancing 45p to £12.45. Xstrata is also up 39p to £10.84, while Rio Tinto added 61p to £18.27. AstraZeneca meanwhile, shed 29p to £20.87, while energy firm Centrica shed 3.25p to 234p. The Dow Jones has started well, picking up a further 41.46 points to 10,790.25 points in morning trading, adding to a similar tally accru...