Oil fuels FTSE to near 5-year high

Easier oil prices supported the index during the day, while a firm start on Wall Street aided the market late in the session. Among companies updating investors, property firm Hammerson rose 4.95% to 1,156p after beating market expectations with a 31% rise in net asset value, buoyed by strong capital flows into the sector. The world's largest educational publisher Pearson rose 1.91% to 719p after it posted a 23% gain in annual pretax profit. The company, which also publishes the Financial Times newspaper, said strong textbook sales had boosted its performance, with revenue up 9%, ahea...