LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) – Britain’s blue chip shares
surged on Tuesday to close above 6,400 for the first time in
over five years helped by solid company reports and supportive
central bank comments.

Financials and miners added the most points to the FTSE 100
, with results from heavyweight stocks in both sectors
meeting or beating expectations despite tricky trading
environments.

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s blue chip shares rose on Tuesday, as policymakers’ comments and solid company reports took it towards five-year highs, but it was unable to sustain a break above a key resistance level.

Financials and miners added the most weight to the FTSE 100 as the world’s two biggest economies reiterated steps they would take to support economic growth.

LONDON, March 4 (Reuters) – Airline easyJet is set to join
the UK’s leading share index for the first time and small cap
tour operator Thomas Cook the mid-cap index as the tourism
sector rebounds from tough trading conditions.

easyJet would follow in the footsteps of sector peer
Tui Travel, promoted to the FTSE 100 in December,
and replace energy services firm John Wood Group.

LONDON (Reuters) – Heavyweight mining stocks led the FTSE 100 lower on Monday after China said it could tighten property controls, potentially stunting the country’s demand for raw materials.

Five of the top six fallers on the FTSE 100 were miners, and the sector shed 2.4 percent after China said it could increase required downpayments and loan rates for buyers of second homes in cities where prices are rising too quickly.

LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) – Britain’s top share index rose on
Thursday, extending its monthly winning streak to nine months,
buoyed by assurances from U.S. and European central banks that
they would continue to pursue supportive monetary policy.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed 34.93 points
higher, up 0.6 percent at 6,360.81, finishing up 1.3 percent on
the month and extending its longest monthly winning streak since
1997.

LONDON (Reuters) – Top shares rose on Thursday as assurances from U.S. and European central banks that they would pursue supportive monetary policy helped extend a rebound after a deadlocked Italian election earlier this week.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sparked a rally on Wall Street for the second day in a row on Wednesday after he defended the Fed’s asset purchases programme to the House Committee in Congress.

LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) – Britain’s top shares rose on
Thursday as assurances from U.S. and European central banks that
they would pursue supportive monetary policy helped extend a
rebound after a deadlocked Italian election earlier this week.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sparked a rally
on Wall Street for the second day in a row on Wednesday after he
defended the Fed’s asset purchases programme to the House
Committee in Congress.