Banks push FTSE higher

Royal Bank of Scotland gained 0.99% to £17.36p - having earlier in the day fallen back 0.5% - after it reported a better than expected 23% increase in half-year profits to £4.51bn. Northern Rock added 3.35% to £11.25, Barclays rose 2.67% to 635.50p and Alliance and Leicester gained 2.11% to £10.16. PartyGaming rose 9.09% to 120p as it continued to gain applause for yesterday’s acquisition of Gamebookers. AngloAmerican also leapt 4.81% to £23.30 after it said underlying earnings for the first half leapt 47% to a record $2.5bn and it announced an additional $4bn buyback with a $1bn sp...