Enterprise helps lift FTSE

The FTSE100 is currently up 21.70 at 5739.20 led by a strong performance from Enterprise Inns .

The pub company is up 31.00 at 395.00 following the announcement it is trading in a similar way to last year.

Mining groups also helped boost the index with Vedanta Resources, Antofagasta, Anglo American and BHP Billiton in the list of top five winners this morning on the back of strong metal prices.

However, retailers have had a bad start to the day with Sainsbury down 8.25, next falling 27.00 and Marks & Spencer down 7.75. British Airways also slumped, down 4.50 at 242.75.

Meanwhile, the US markets closed down last night with the S&P500 falling 15 to 1,325 as a result of a weaker performance from technology and banking stocks.

Fallers included Google on the news the number of clicks for its adverts had dropped. Bank of America and JP Morgan also fell after Lehman brothers cut their earnings estimates.

However, there was better news in Japan where the Nikkei 225 rose 215.89 or 1.7% to close at 12,820.47 driven by a rally from property and commodity based companies.

Winners included Aeon Mall, Japan's biggest shopping mall developer, which benefited from the property rise. Inpex Holdings, the nation's largest oil and gas explorer, rose for a third day in response to crude prices.