FTSE up 0.6 percent
Among other individual movers, caterer Compass climbed more than 3 percent to top the gainers' list after France's Sodexho Alliance said first half net profit rose a stronger than expected 24.2 percent and revised up its full year guidance.
Vodafone nudged up 0.5 percent despite the Financial Times saying the cost to the mobile phone giant of buying a controlling stake in India's Hutchison Essar may turn out to be more than $11.1 billion the firm agreed to pay.
Legal & General was one of the five losers in the FTSE 100, down 0.3 percent after the insurer said its sales climbed 6 percent in the first three months of 2007, at the lower end of market expectations.
Drax put on 0.8 percent after the operator of western Europe's biggest coal fired power station said it was trading in line with expectations, reflecting its contracted position amid a volatile power market.
Among mid caps, ARM Holdings surged 4.2 percent after the British chip designer posted first quarter profit in line with expectations and promised to step up its share buyback programme and dividends.
|
|
