UK

Apparently 11 million of us are going to live to be 100 years old. That probably will not include me, unless the artificial heart valves I have are better than the NHS is letting on.

ON UK GROWTH

The FTSE opened sharply higher in early trading on Wednesday following positive corporate earnings updates in the US and advancing metal prices.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was again divided six-three against a rate rise earlier this month, minutes from the April meeting reveal.

The final cost to BP from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster could reach $60bn (£37bn), according to fresh analysis from ratings agency Moody's.

Newton's star income manager Tineke Frikkee has moved overweight BP, almost tripling her holding in the oil major in the £2.7bn Higher Income fund since February.

BP ONE YEAR ON

ON UK INCOME

Shares in Hargreaves Lansdown rose in early trading after it gathered a record £1.16bn of net new assets during a quarter which saw it enter the FTSE 100 for the first time.

Hannah Smith checks in with Spike Hughes, Insynergy founder, three years after the group's inception