The FTSE 100 leapt 0.5% this morning, with Lloyds Group showing strongly, despite rumours today of job cuts and branch closures.
London's blue chip index has climbed to 25 points to 4,445 early. Lloyds' shares are up nearly 3% to around 63p, although reports this morning suggests it plans to shut its Cheltenham & Gloucester branch network and axe up to 1,500 jobs. Royal Bank of Scotland is also among the day's strongest openers, up 2.27% to 36.1p. The other top gains this morning are miners Vedanta Resources, 3.13% higher to 1,645p, Eurasian Natural Resources, up 2.3% to 668.5p, and Kazakhmys, advancing 2.19% to 701.5. HSBC shares dropped 1.1% to 517.75p on yesterday's news it is to stop paying current accoun...
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