Miners give strength to FTSE

BHP Billiton has increased 1% to 1,060p, Rio Tinto has added 1.1% to 2,786p and Kazakhmys has advanced 1.2% to 1,247 after metal prices surged. Homebuilder Persimmon has risen 1.3% to 1,292p after it said first-half profit increased 9.9% after it completed the UK housing industry's biggest-ever takeover. On the downside, InterContinental Hotels Group has fallen 20p, or 2.2%, to 884p, even after the company said second-quarter profit more than doubled as it sold assets and focused on earning money from managing properties. Financials stocks are also proving a drain on the market, takin...