The FTSE 100 is slightly up in early trading with a rise of 1.5 points, or 0.02%, to 6,419.3, as bid speculation seems to be having little impact on investors.
Marks & Spencer Group is leading the risers with gains of 2.45% to 712p, closely followed by Xstrata which is up 1.67% to £28.03, on news it is selling its aluminium assets to private equity firm Apollo Management for $1.15bn in cash. Severn Trent has also gained 1.3% to £14.84, and BP has added 0.9% to 559.5p, while Alliance Boots has climbed 0.92% to £10.45, on reports Terra Firma Partners and Wellcome Trust have appointed a financial adviser for a possible £10bn-plus bid for the company. However miner Kazakhmys is the biggest loser with a fall of 4.18% to £11.69, following Y K Cha'...
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