The FTSE 100 has ended the day up 30.9 points, or 0.5%, to 6,220.3, as private equity speculation over Whitbread offset losses by Friends Provident.
Brewer Whitbread posted the biggest gains with a rise of 11.09% to £19.34, following rumours of bid pitched at 2,300p per share, while Intercontinental Hotels advanced 3.43% to £12.67. Financials also performed well with Barclays up 3.69% to 702p, following confirmation of its talks with Dutch firm ABN, while Prudential advanced 3.32% to 731.5p, and ICAP climbed 5.98% to 522.5p. However Friends Provident ended the day as the biggest loser with a fall of 5.94% to 190p, following its results news, while Morrison dropped 2.14% to 308p, Wolseley slipped 1.77% to 312.21, DSG International ...
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