FTSE rises on holiday spending

GUS has climbed 16.5p or 1.6% to £10.21 after the company said fiscal third-quarter sales at its Argos and Homebase chains improved as it added selling space and consumers splashed out on holiday gifts. Sainsbury has also advanced 1.75p or 0.5% to 326p after the company said sales rose for a fourth-straight quarter. Meanwhile, BT has lost 3.5p or 1.6% to 219.5p, and Vodafone has declined 1.75p or 1.34% after France Telecom said revenue growth was 2% to 3% in 2005, less than an October forecast of about 3% growth, excluding takeovers and currency effects, and an original target of 3% t...