The FTSE 100 has pared gains mid-morning after its strong start, which saw it set a new year high.
London's blue-chip index is 34.67 points higher (075%) to 4681.8 after touching 4,704.36, its highest point since January. Financials continued to dominate the top slots, with Lloyds Banking Group up 6.7% to 99.45p after double-digit gains on Wednesday. Royal Bank of Scotland is also ahead, up 6.47% to 51.85p. Insurer Aviva is also in favour after better-than-expected profit results for the first half of the year. It is currently 6% ahead to 377.8p. In New York on Wednesday, stocks slipped on figures showing a sharper-than-expected contraction in the services sector. The Dow Jon...
To continue reading this article...
Join Professional Adviser for free
Signup and gain exclusive members-only insights
- Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
- Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
- Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
- Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
- Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
- Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes
