FTSE 100 Rallies Most in 14 Months, Paced by GlaxoSmithKline, Lloyds TSB

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks rose for the first time
in six days as profit reports from Lloyds TSB Group Plc and
SABMiller Plc reassured investors that earnings growth will be
sustained. The FTSE 100 Index rallied the most in 14 months.

GlaxoSmithKline Plc advanced after a panel of U.S. doctors
voted to keep the company's diabetes pill Avandia on the market.
Alliance & Leicester Plc rallied on takeover speculation.


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FTSE up as M&A boosts; BoE eyed but jitters stick

(Reuters) - The FTSE 100 index of Britain's leading shares edged up 0.2 percent on Monday after a flurry of M&A activity boosted the upside but interest rate concerns and credit uncertainty continued to worry investors.

Fears that a rise in defaults on U.S. subprime mortgage loans could spiral into a broader financial crunch have surrounded global markets since mid-June.


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Barclays, HSBC, Beazley, Pearson, EMI Group Plc: U.K., Irish Stock Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall
in U.K. and Irish markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses
and prices are from the last market close.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index dropped 36.00, or 0.6 percent,
to 6215.20. The FTSE All-Share Index declined 18.24, or 0.6
percent, to 3210.69.


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Global Stocks Drop; Investors Shun Risk as Credit Market Turmoil Worsens

(Bloomberg) -- Stocks tumbled around the world and
U.S. Treasuries rallied on concern higher borrowing costs will
slow takeovers, spur debt defaults and curb earnings, prompting
investors to flee riskier assets.

The Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell to its lowest in almost
three months, while the FTSE 100's biggest drop in four years led
declines across Europe. Benchmark stock indexes in Argentina,
Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and Sweden sank more than 3 percent.


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FTSE 100 Benchmark Index Drops, Paced by Rio Tinto; Punch Taverns Declines

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. FTSE 100 Index dropped to a
two month low, paced by Rio Tinto Group and Antofagasta Plc as
copper prices retreated in New York.

Punch Taverns Plc led pub companies lower after Goldman,
Sachs & Co. removed the pub owner from its ``conviction buy''
list. Shares of British Energy Plc tumbled.


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FTSE gains as Barclays ups ABN bid, insurers buoy

(Reuters) - The FTSE 100 of Britain's leading shares edged higher on Monday as merger and acquisition activity boosted stocks at the start of a busy week for corporate earnings.

At 0806 GMT, the UK's main share index was up 9.9 points, or 0.2 percent at 6,595.1.


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Barclays, Diageo, Friends Provident, Shell: U.K., Irish Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall
in U.K. and Irish markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses
and prices are from the market close on July 20.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index declined 55, or 0.8 percent, to
close at 6585.20 in London. The FTSE All-Share Index fell 25.96,
or 0.8 percent, to 3407.79.


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Alliance Boots changing terms on LBO loans: bank

(Reuters) - It is hoped that further details on the loan package will be released on Monday, the spokeswoman said.




Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and UniCredit HVB are global coordinators for the debt backing the buyout, Europe's largest ever private equity deal and the first of a FTSE 100 company.


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European shares extend losses as Wall St drops

(Reuters) - European shares extended losses on Friday as U.S. markets started trading lower, weighed down by disappointing results from Caterpillar Inc. and Google.

By 1407 GMT, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was down 0.8 percent at 1,605.9 points.


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US subprime concerns hit FTSE; Imperial Tobacco up

(Reuters) - Britain's top share index fell for the third straight day, down 0.8 percent by midday on Wednesday, on concerns over the troubled U.S. subprime mortgage market and its impact on the broader economy.

At 1030 GMT, the FTSE 100 was down 53.4 points at 6,605.7, along with other European markets, but mergers and acquisitions offered some respite, boosting shares in Imperial Tobacco and Sainsbury.


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Asia shares ease, oil eyes record high

(Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 Index and Germany's DAX rose about 0.2 percent in early trade while France's CAC 40 edged up nearly 0.1 percent.




Data on Friday showing improved U.S. consumer sentiment sparked optimism that shipments to Asia's top export market would stay strong, helping to limit regional stock losses and lending support to the dollar.


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Barclays, Trinity, Mitchells & Butlers, Aviva: U.K., Irish Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall
in U.K. and Irish markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses
and prices are from the market close on July 6.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index advanced 54.90, or 0.8 percent,
to close at 6690.10 in London as 68 stocks rose, 29 fell and five
were unchanged. The FTSE All-Share Index
gained 26.07, or 0.8 percent, to 3454.13.


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Aviva's new CEO must woo investors to boost shares

(Reuters) - Currently the group's finance director, Moss takes over as
chief executive of Britain's largest insurer next Thursday from
Richard Harvey, one of the longest-serving FTSE 100 bosses.




Moss has been part of the management team since he joined in
2004 and has effectively led the group's strategy since Harvey's
early retirement was announced in January.


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European stocks extend dip after weak US goods data

(Reuters) - European stocks extended their losses on Wednesday, led by mining and banking shares, after May U.S. durable goods figures came in weaker than expected.

The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares traded down 0.8 percent at 1,573.9 points, close to its low for the session.


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U.K. Benchmark FTSE 100 Drops, Led by BAE Systems and Cadbury Schweppes

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks fell. BAE Systems Plc,
Europe's biggest weapons maker, headed for its steepest drop in 4
1/2 years after saying the U.S. started a probe into the
company's compliance with anti-corruption laws.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index lost 12.6, or 0.2 percent, to
6575.8 as of 11:38 a.m. The FTSE All-Share Index fell 7.54, or
0.2 percent, to 3390.84. Ireland's ISEQ Index slipped 58.83, or
0.6 percent, to 9325.78.


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UPDATE 1-London Stock Exchange to buy Borsa Italiana

(Reuters) - The pair said they planned to become "the world's capital
market" and that together they accounted for 48 percent of the
FTSE Eurofirst 100 index of companies by market value.




They would also be Europe's leading market for electronic
trading of Exchange Traded Funds and securitized derivatives,
and Europe's leading fixed income market thanks to Borsa's
interest in the MTS platform.


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FTSE ticks up; slower sales growth hits Tesco

(Reuters) - The UK's leading share index ticked higher on Tuesday as miners steamed ahead but Britain's largest retailer Tesco slid after announcing a slowdown in UK sales growth.

By 0743 GMT the FTSE 100 was up 8.1 points, or 0.12 percent, at 6,711.6.


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GLOBAL MARKETS-Tame core U.S. inflation boosts stocks, bonds

(Reuters) - Economists polled by Reuters had expected consumer prices to
have increased 0.6 percent in May after a 0.4 percent rise in
April and core prices to have risen by 0.2 percent.




U.S. stock index futures jumped, suggesting a bullish start
on Wall Street. European stocks added gains with the
FTSEurofirst 300 closing in on 1 percent.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

European shares open higher, tracking U.S., Asia

(Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 was 0.7 percent higher, Paris's CAC 40 advanced 0.7 percent and Frankfurt's DAX stood 1.1 percent higher.




Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News