FTSE enjoys an early sugar rush

The FTSE 100 Index is currently up 8.3 or 0.1% to 6164.7, led HBOS, Britain's biggest mortgage lender, which has so far gained 10p or 0.9% to £10.86 and Tate & Lyle, the sugar refiner and sweetener manufacturer, has added 35p or 4.45% to 822p. IN contrast, oil refiner BP has fallen 2.5p or 0.4% to 578p as the price of oil per barrel dropped again yesterday while Royal Dutch Shell B shares have fallen 3p or 0.17% to £18.00. In Asia earlier today, major Japanese stocks such as Toyota, Sony and Canon saw their share prices climb as the euro hit a new high against the yen – at 155.23 yen to t...