The FTSE 100 index is up 8.6 points or 0.2% to 5841.6 points this morning, paced by BP and Royal Dutch Shell, as oil prices are rising for a fourth day in a row.
BP has so far gained 6p or 0.9% to 641p and Shell has gained 15p, or 0.9% to 1773p as the crude oil price for April delivery is trading 35 cents higher, or 0.6%, at $63.71 a barrel. BT has also added 2% to 212.25p as the Times says the company is being targeted by several global private equity firms, which may lead to bids valuing BT at over £20bn. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average index dropped 246.42 points or 1.6% to 15,663.34 points after an inflation report raised speculation the Bank of Japan is getting closer to lifting borrowing costs. Mitsubishi UFJ, the world's bigges...
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