Xmas cheer warms FTSE

Hotels group Intercontinental leads the gainers with a 66p rise to £12.83. Speculation is rife the company is about to receive a takeover bid. Otherwise gains are spread across the sectors, with just eight stocks falling on the market. Vedanta Resources leads the miners, with a 28p gain to £11.83. British Land is up 38p to £16.98. SAB Miller, the brewing company, is up 24p to £11.90. BAT, the cigarette maker, is up 25p to £14.49. However, financials are among the bigger losers. L&G is down 1.25p to 157p. Friends Provident is down 1.5p to 217.50p. Prudential is down 1.5p...