The FTSE 100 index gained 45.4 points, or almost 0.8%, to 5,974 points today, led by miner Xstrata.
Xstrata gained £1.60 or 7.47%% to £23.01 after Inco decided to pull out of the running to buy Canadian miner Falconbridge in order to focus on a merger with Phelps Dodge. Alliance & Leicester recovered from an early fall, ending up 19p or 1.8% at £10.63, after it reported a “satisfactory” set of half year results and said it was on track to achieve its strategic objectives for the year. Prudential was the worst performer, down 3% at 577.5p, after it released interim figures revealing a weaker than expected performance from its UK business. The news led Aviva down 0.4% to 724.5p, while...
To continue reading this article...
Join Professional Adviser for free
Signup and gain exclusive members-only insights
- Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
- Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
- Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
- Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
- Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
- Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes
