Dow Jones

Positive attitudes and confidence reigned on the FTSE 100 index on Monday, as tobacco firms and mining giants made the best of the gains.

The FTSE 100 index has started the Christmas week well, picking up 29.5 points to 4726.30 points paced by pharmaceutical companies.

A major loss in the share price of oil exploration company Cairn Energy along with AstraZeneca pulled the FTSE 100 index back under 4,700 after a stronger week.

In the UK the FTSE has lost 3.4 points to 4731.8 points paced largely by Cairn Energy plummeting, after announcing that it will argue a royalty placed by the Indian government on oil the company is pumping in Rajasthan.

The FTSE 100 index closed 7 points higher to 4735.2 by close of business on Thursday, boosted by sales at British retail stores.

The UK's FTSE 100 index is trading 6.8 points higher this morning to 4735points, led by GlaxoSmithKline.

UK stocks have ended the day marginally higher by clinging to US confidence in its trading market and yesterday's interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve to 2.25%.

In the UK this morning, the FTSE 100 index is trading steadily this morning adding 9.4 points to 4732.2 points, after the Federal Reserve reported a steadily-paced US economy.

The FTSE 100 index ended the day down 14 points by close of business, but this still left the market comfortably above the buffer zone at 4722.8 points.

The UK's FTSE 100 index has slipped a fraction after yesteday's rally, paced this morning by Vodafone.