News

* FTSE 100 index up 0.4 percent by midday trading * BHP Billiton (NYSE: BBL – news) adds most points to the blue-chip index * Mining (LSE: MIR.L – news) index tops sectoral gainers list, hits 3-wk high By Atul Prakash LONDON, April 1 (Reuters) – Stronger BHP Billiton on the news of a possible Read More

By Tricia Wright LONDON (Reuters) – UK shares kicked off the quarter on a high note, fuelled by gains from miners on optimism over ongoing stimulus from China, with BHP Billiton leading the sector up as it mulled a spin-off of unloved assets. BHP Billiton added most points to the FTSE 100 as it weighed Read More

By This Is Money Reporters PUBLISHED: 03:06 EST, 31 March 2014 | UPDATED: 11:30 EST, 31 March 2014 17.30 (CLOSE): Life and pension firms’ shares enjoyed mixed fortunes at the start of the week after sharp falls in the previous session prompted by the disclosure of a new regulatory probe into the sector were described Read More

* FTSE 100 up 0.2 pct but on course for quarterly drop * Babcock nearly recoups last week’s losses * Miners extend gains on China stimulus optimism By Tricia Wright LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) – UK shares rose on Monday, led by Babcock after a nuclear contract win and underpinned by mining companies on hopes Read More

* FTSE 100 up 0.6 pct * Insurance firms rally after regulator’s “blunder” * Miners continue strong rally * Index set for first quarterly fall since June By Alistair Smout LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) – UK shares rose on Monday boosted by appetite for downtrodden insurers and resurgent miners, though the British blue chip index Read More

By Alistair Smout LONDON (Reuters) – UK shares rose on Monday boosted by appetite for downtrodden insurers and resurgent miners, though the British blue chip index was still set for its first quarterly fall since June. Insurers rallied, with Resolution, Aviva and Legal & General all up 1 percent to 3.2 percent having slumped in Read More

The New York Stock Exchange last night, where the S&P 500 finished within one point of its record high. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the financial markets, the world economy, the eurozone and business. Many world stock markets remain pretty buoyant today, with many close to their Read More

LONDON (ShareCast) – – FTSE ends session up 27.26 at 6,615.58 – Insurance slide, miners climb – UK Q4 current account deficit bigger than expected techMARK 2,762.30 -0.03% FTSE 100 6,615.58 +0.41% FTSE 250 16,181.71 -0.13% The week ended on a positive note for UK stocks as they tracked gains seen Stateside and a positive Read More

The fastest-rising share of 2013? The one that really took off? The surprise top performer in the FTSE 100 was IAG, the holding company for British Airways and Iberia, which started the year at just 194p but on 19 December was trading above 380p. EasyJet was not far behind, soaring from 794p in January to Read More

A flurry of merger activity helped shares on Wall Street scale new peaks on Monday and pushed London’s FTSE 100 to a 14-year closing high. But analysts warned the strong gains were yet to be supported by brighter news from the global economy. The UK’s index of blue-chip shares closed up at 6865, up 28 Read More