FTSE receives US kickstart

Currently, the index is up 0.38% at 5897.90 buoyed by mining stocks including Kazakhmvs up 6.24% and Vedanta rising 3.63%. However, housing stocks were a drag on the index with Taylor Wimpey falling 6.55 points or 3.20% while construction supplier Wolseley was down 23.00 or 3.05%. UK markets will be hoping to follow in the strong gains made by US markets. The Dow Jones closed on 12378.61 up 108.44 or 0.88% as Bush’s new plan and an unexpected fall in first time jobless claims gave the US market a much needed boost. Technology companies responded particularly well including Microsoft an...