Britain’s blue-chip index closed 26.59 points lower at 4,435.5, after rising more than 5 percent last week, with weaker raw material prices  hurting oil producers and miners. However, drugmaker AstraZeneca and utility Centrica offered support. The British benchmark is flat for the year, but has rallied more than 28 percent since hitting a six-year low [...]

The FTSE 100 is up 5 percent this week and enjoyed its best monthly run in six years in April. The index is 14 percent ahead overall for this quarter. The UK blue chip index ended 63 points higher at 4,462 on friday after closing 2 points ahead at 4,4398 on Thursday. The index is [...]

Stocks were sharply higher after the Bank of England kept rates on hold and expanded quantitative easing but retreated in volatile afternoon trading, tracking weakness in U.S. stocks following downgrades in the telecom sector. Britain’s FTSE ended 2 points higher at 4,4398 after touching a high of 4,520 for the session. It is in positive [...]

Britain’s top share  index gained 1.4 percent on Wednesday to close off with its highest closing level in nearly four months, led by banks and commodity stocks and buoyed by slower job losses in the United States. The FTSE, writes Greg Secker, 100 closed 59 points higher at 4,396 after trading as high as 4,437  [...]

Britain’s top share index rose in early trade on Tuesday to touch a near four-month high and to close at 4336, taking its cue from a rally in the U.S. markets with banks and heavyweight commodity-related stocks leading the way.By 0729 GMT, the FTSE 100 was up 93.85 points at 4,337, catching up with gains [...]

Britain’s top share index was flat by the close of holiday-thinned trade on Friday as gains in miners offset profit-taking in energy and defensives following sharp gains the previous two sessions. The FTSE, writes Greg Secker, 100 index closed at 4,243.22 after gaining 1.3 percent on Thursday. The UK’s blue-chip index in April posted its [...]

The FTSE 100 continued it’s journey into the bull territory yesterday as the banks rallied hard. Barclays climbed to it’s highest level since early October, rising 9.8 per cent.  The index is now 20 per cent up from it’s recent lows of 3512 in early March.Yesterday, notes Mr Secker, the Dow closed at 8,168 [...]