FTSE makes bright start despite damp day

The water and environmental group has climbed 23p to 718.5p, after its debut on the exchange yesterday. Hanson has picked up 13.5p to 572.5p, while business news and information provider, Reuters clawed back some of yesterday's losses, adding 8.75p to 390.5p. On the losing end, mobile firm O2 is down 3.75p to 139p, with internet search engine Yell, losing 6.5p to 453.5p. In Tokyo the Nikkei 225 Stock Average added 0.8% to 11,835.08 at its close early this morning, its highest level in four months, led by Advantest. The maker of equipment used to test memory chips picked up 2.4% to ...