Huge profits for Pru pull FTSE back up

The FTSE 100 index eventually closed the day back over the 4,300 market at up 37.9% or 0.8% to 4324.9 while the FTSE All-Share index gained 11.6 points or 0.7% to 2152 and the FTSE 250 index added 20.5 points or 0.3% to 5948. Prudential reported net income leapt £314m from £76m in H1 2004 thanks to an increase in the sale of annuities and corporate pensions. This boosted Pru’s share price to close up 6p or 1.39% to 439p. As a result, insurance rivals Aviva and Royal & SunAlliance also rose 2.1% to 535.5p and 1.7% to 76.25p respectively. Banking stocks were lifted by the prospect o...