Positive sentiment on BP lifts FTSE

London entered the final quarter of 2010 in positive mood with sentiment lifted by hints from incoming BP boss the group is ready to restore the dividend payments suspended during the Gulf of Mexico crisis.

Bob Dudley, who becomes chief executive of the oil company today, says the board would meet soon to discuss restoring payouts next year, according to reports. The blue chip index opened up 0.8% or 44 points at 5,592, with Carphone Warehouse leading the winners, rising 5.53%. BG Group, Spectris, Shaftesbury and Logica were also among the leading stocks, rising between 2.5% and 5% each. Spectris, the mid-cap instrumentation and controls company, has bought American maker of rugged industrial networking components N-TRON for $51m (£32m). Among the largest fallers was drugs group Hikma...