FTSE 100 smashes through 6,300 level
The FTSE 100 nudged back over the 6,300 level this morning – which it smashed through for the first time in almost five years yesterday – as it edged up around 0.15 per cent.
Steelmaker Evraz was the biggest blue chip gainer this morning, adding 2.38 per cent.
Global miner Anglo American rose two per cent in early deals, as the market reacted well to its $4bn write-down on its Minas-Rio iron ore project on the back of increased spending at the operation.
Fellow miner Kazakhmys rose 1.28 per cent, while oil services group Petrofac was up 1.11 per cent.
Outside of the blue chips, holiday company Thomas Cook continued to rise, adding more than five per cent in early deals.
Bookmaker William Hill increased 4.2 per cent, on the back of a positive trading update. Operating profit jumped 20 per cent last year, it said this morning, buoyed by good growth in its online business.
Banking shares had a tough morning. In early trades, RBS was the biggest blue chip faller, shedding more than three per cent. It was reported this morning that the bank is close to a settlement with US and UK authorities over Libor claims.
Lloyds Banking Group shed 1.26 per cent and Barclays was down 1.34 per cent. Only HSBC chalked up a gain, rising 0.21 per cent.
Meanwhile, telecoms provider BT sank almost 2.9 per cent, as it was downgraded by BAML to “neutral” from “buy”.
In Asia, the Nikkei closed up 0.39 per cent and in the US, the Dow Jones closed down 0.1 per cent.