Dow Jones

The FTSE 100 index has ended the day up 35.5 points or 0.57% to 6,228, as miners held onto earlier gains with Xstrata leading the charge.

The FTSE 100 is up 16.4 points, or 0.26%, to 6,208.9, in early trading as miners make a strong start to the session.

The FTSE 100 index closed the day up 36 points or almost 0.6% to 6,192.5 on Wednesday after reports suggested British Energy was the government's preferred bidder for British Nuclear.

The FTSE 100 index is just about managing to maintain any gains this morning, led in the main by banking group HBOS and Tate & Lyle, as the drop in oil price is now beginning to affect major stocks.

The FTSE 100 index is down 17.9 points, or 0.29%, to 6,141.9, as attention is focused on the US interest rate meeting which starts today.

The FTSE 100 index has ended the day up 7.4 points, or 0.12%, to 6,159.8, as Corus gains balanced the losses from insurers.

The FTSE 100 index is up 28.4 points, or 0.46%, to 6,180.8 in early trading this morning, with Corus leading the way after both bidders for the steel company upped their share offer price.

The FTSE 100 made a last minute dash to close some 36 points higher at 6,086 led by Antofagasta as the Chilean copper miner benefited from a round of vague takeover talk. Antofagasta rose 4.6% to close at 530p.

The FTSE 100 index has made gains this morning for the first time in three days, on the back of recent news for AstraZeneca and Cairn Energy.

The FTSE 100 Index fell 27 points, or 0.45%, to 6,022 points today as Wall Street tumbled on a key manufacturing report, which came in at its lowest level since April 2003.