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FTSE 100 boosted by company reports FTSE 100 boosted by company reports
(about 4 hours later)
(Noon): Shares remained high in London at midday after another bumper series of company reports and a higher close for US shares buoyed the market. (Close): Shares were ahead in London at close after another bumper series of company reports and an overnight higher close for US shares buoyed the market.
Barclays investors greeted its 25% gain in interim profits with a 2% rise in the share price. Sky shares jumped 2.5% on news of its 18% rise in profits but then slipped by 1%. Barclays investors greeted its 25% gain in interim profits with a 1.79% rise in the share price. Sky shares jumped 2.5% on news of its 18% rise in profits but then slipped to 0.7% ahead.
The FTSE 100 index was up 0.68% at 6,600.02 points. The FTSE 100 index finished up 1,16%, or 75.72 points, at 6,631 points.
High street bakery chain Greggs was up 3% after results. High street bakery chain Greggs was up 8.53% after half-year interim results.
Earlier it managed a near 6% gain. It raised profit expectation for the second time in just months. It also raised profit expectation for the second time in a few months.
Estate agency Foxtons shares added to earlier gains to stand almost 9% higher on strong results pulling rival Rightmove up 3% in its wake. Estate agency Foxtons' shares were 7.5% higher on strong results, pulling rival Rightmove up 5.43% in its wake.
Shares in Hikma Pharmaceuticals lead the top company gainers' table with a rise of 3.5%, building on Tuesday's 11.59% gain, made after it announced it was buying US generic drugs business Roxane from German drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim for $2.65bn. Shares in Hikma Pharmaceuticals were up 3.71%, building on Tuesday's 11.59% gain.
On the currency markets, the pound was up 0.21% against the dollar at $1.5645 and was up 0.3%against the euro to €1.4160. On the currency markets, the pound was up 0.07% against the dollar at $1.5624 and was up 0.46% against the euro to €1.4183.