Financials send FTSE 100 higher

Led by Lloyds Banking Group, the index added 13.7 points, or 0.3%, to trade at 4,599.8 in opening exchanges. Shares in Lloyds, which was formed from the Government-backed merger of Lloyds TSB and Halifax Bank of Scotland, gained 3% to 86p on hopes for an upbeat half-year earnings report due later this week. Business software firm Sage Group advanced 3.6% after reporting that trading was in line with expectations for the nine months to the end of June, while publishing group Pearson added 2.4%, extending its Monday rally. On the downside, gold mining group Randgold Resources lost al...