Metal prices make FTSE shine

The FTSE 100 has ended the day up 69.1 points, or 1.12%, to 6,230.1, as miners pulled ahead on improved metal prices.

BHP Billiton posted the biggest gains with a rise of 4.91% to 930p, closely followed by Kazakhmys which gained 3.95% to £10.53, while Xstrata climbed 3.94% to £23.99, and Rio Tinto added 3.92% to £24.69.

Pearson also gained 3.74% to 805p, although gains were limited by Enterprise Inns which slipped 1.69% to £12.77, closely followed by Home Retail which dropped 1.68% to 409p.

However Alliance Boots was the biggest drag on the index with a fall of 2.7% to 811p, closely followed by Tate & Lyle which slipped 2.44% to 739p, while Land Securities Group fell 1.72% to £21.65.

In the US the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 90.92 points, or 0.73%, to 12,533.08, following a larger than expected drop in first time jobless claims.

Exxon Mobil is posting the biggest gains so far with a rise of 2.1% to $72.48, closely followed by Microsoft which has climbed 1.85% to $30.22, while Intel has added 1.81% to $21.92.

Honeywell International is also performing well with a rise of 1.76% to $45.75, while United Technologies has gained 1.74% to $63.78, although so far there is only one stock trying to limit gains with Boeing slipping 0.31% to $88.99.