Vodafone rings in gains for FTSE

Vodafone has rebounded 1.6% to 110.75p after the shares slid more than 4% to a three-year low yesterday, amid deepening concern about the company's sales growth. The recent eight-day losing streak for Vodafone shares was its longest in four years. Xstrata has also added 1.4% to £16.88 as the world's biggest exporter of coal burned by power plants said second-half profit rose 34% to a record on higher metals prices. The company has also agreed to buy a $1.7bn stake in a coal mine. At the same time, however, HBOS has fallen 42p or 4% to £10.20 after it said 2005 profit climbed 11% to £3.23...