Morning markets: FTSE rise tempered by ex-dividend stocks

Standard Life was the biggest riser up 1.7% to 197.1p while BT Group gained by 1.3% to 117p after speculation continued it could sell units to plug its pension deficit. The list of fallers was peppered by companies that are now ex-dividend. In this camp, Reckitt Benckiser Group fell 1.8% to £34.19, while Rio Tinto dropped 0.8% to £33.53. Rival BHP Billiton was not ex-dividend, but fell nevertheless, by 0.6% to £19.88. Wolseley, which rose yesterday after saying latest profits would beat expectations, fell back by 1.2%, to £16.11. Markets will watch today to see if the German ...