Merger chatter takes FTSE higher

Vodafone jumped 3.17% to 130p although there are concerns it may get less than expected for the holding. BP rose 1.19% to 683p after it announced it is putting its exploration and production and gas infrastructure business in the Netherlands up for sale. The group hopes to have a sale completed by the end of the year. On the downside, weaker financials limited the FTSE's gains. The US arm of hedge fund Man Group was accused of fraud and racketeering in the US, as part of a wider suit to recover assets lost in the collapse of a $230m Philadelphia hedge fund. Its shares dropped 2.68% to...