Oil gives FTSE a slick ending

Cairn Energy rose 2.58% to 2,149p, BP gained 1.11% to 638p and BG Group advanced 0.89% to 738.50p after crude prices tipped over the $75 a barrel mark overnight. Miners are also posted decent gains, with Kazakhmys up 1.17% to 1,211p and BHP Billiton up 2.24% to 1,049p. Alliance & Leicester fell 2.68% to 1,055p as brokers suggested the ending of bid interest from Credit Agricole yesterday had left the mortgage bank overvalued compared with other lenders. Northern Rock advanced 2.13% to 1,053p after Merrill Lynch advised investors to switch into the group from Alliance & Leicester, whic...