FTSE

Top UK shares are down this morning putting the FTSE 100 index off by about a point to 6,197 in early trading.

The FTSE 100 index rose 0.68% to close at 6131.5 with Barclays Bank, which rose 2.99% to 707p, leading gains following takeover speculation it has attracted the attention of Bank of America and Banco Santander.

The FTSE 100 has added 23.40 points, or 0.4%, to 6113 as stocks advance for a fourth day thanks to a rally on tobacco companies, paced by Gallaher Group after the maker of Benson & Hedges cigarettes in Europe received a takeover approach.

The FTSE 100 Index has added 5.60 points, or 0.1%, to 6092 so far in morning with stocks including Royal Bank of Scotland Group gaining.

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.

Nearly 80% of retail investors are confident the stock market will do well over the next 12 months, according to a TD Waterhouse survey of about 1,000 UK adults who also traded stocks and shares in the past year.

The FTSE 100 Index has added 31.50 points, or 0.5%, to 6081.90 paced by ICAP after the world's largest broker of transactions between banks said this morning it had bought back stock worth £8.9m and plans to repurchase more.

The FTSE 100 has gained 34.9 points, or 0.6%, to 6083.7 paced by Vedanta Resources and Xstrata after copper prices rose in Shanghai.

The FTSE 100 has added 19 points, or 0.3%, to 6103.4 this morning led by BP and Royal Dutch Shell as the price of oil traded near a two- month high.

The FTSE has gained 30.3 points, or 0.5%, to 6055.9 in early trading snapping a six-day losing streak, led by Wolseley after the company said it will begin a significant cost-cutting program.