nikkei 225

The FTSE 100 rose 0.5% to 5,757.22 in early trading, despite negative company announcements across various sectors.

A $3.7bn acquisition by consumer products giant Unilever led European markets higher in early Monday trade, the FTSE 100 adding 0.2%.

The FTSE 100 failed to respond to broker upgrades and healthy earnings reports in early trading, advancing only six points, or 0.1%, to 5,562.37 points.

The FTSE 100 rose 0.88% or 48.58 points to 5,550.22 boosted by new financials regulation and positive economic data from China.

The FTSE 100 has fallen 0.3% or 16 points to 5,413.5 in early trading after America's Federal Reserve said overnight there were "widespread signs of deceleration" in the US economy.

The FTSE 100 fell 0.85% or 46.36 points to 5,392.83 this morning with Barclays among the biggest losers.

The FTSE 100 opened higher, up 0.47% or 25.67 points to 5,453.82, in response to Friday's better than expected US jobs data.

Britain's leading share index has fallen back into the red after enjoying modest gains in early Thursday trading.

Prudential's 1.5% rise in early trading, following better than expected first-half profits, helped the FTSE edge 0.3% higher to 5257.79 points.

The FTSE 100 opened strongly at the start of the week, boosted by Friday's late rally on Wall Street and positive corporate news.