The FTSE opened marginally higher this morning, rising by 18.7 points, or 0.4%, to 5333.79.
Standard Life was the biggest riser up 1.7% to 197.1p while BT Group gained by 1.3% to 117p after speculation continued it could sell units to plug its pension deficit. The list of fallers was peppered by companies that are now ex-dividend. In this camp, Reckitt Benckiser Group fell 1.8% to £34.19, while Rio Tinto dropped 0.8% to £33.53. Rival BHP Billiton was not ex-dividend, but fell nevertheless, by 0.6% to £19.88. Wolseley, which rose yesterday after saying latest profits would beat expectations, fell back by 1.2%, to £16.11. Markets will watch today to see if the German ...
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