FTSE steams ahead with BG Group

BG Group has advanced 1.3% to 773.5p. Net income in the three months ended March jumped to £578m from £259m a year earlier as prices rose and it increased sales of liquefied natural gas to Europe and Japan. Rio Tinto has climbed 1.2% to 3,190p and BHP Billiton has added 1.2% to 1,184p after copper prices climbed on concern the Bolivian government may seize mining assets. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average closed up 228.06 points, or 1.3%, at 17,153.77 points as a pause in the yen's rise against the dollar led investors to buy back shares. Bridgestone surged 4.9% to 2,890 yen af...