| Closing Prices | Intraday | |||
| FTSE 100 | 5702.37 | 0.15% | GPB/USD | 1.5426 |
| FTSE 250 | 10661.08 | 0.65% | GBP/EUR | 1.2003 |
| Nikkei | 8550.58 | 0.99% | Brent Crude | 111.94 |
| DJIA | 12578.95 | 0.78% | Gold | 1657 |
| S+P500 | 1308.04 | 1.11% | Silver | 30.39 |
Banks led the risers today with Barclays topping the chart jumping 10%. Sector peers Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Chartered and HSBC also finished the day with impressive gains.
Essar Energy was the heaviest faller though, tumbling 11.9% as it continues to be hampered by problems in India, with its oil division being told on Tuesday that it's no longer eligible to benefit from a deferred tax payment scheme.
Nomura downgraded its view on the tobacco sector from bullish to neutral. The broker has reduced its 2012 earnings estimates for Imperial Tobacco and British American Tobacco, causing both stocks to fall.
Drugs giant AstraZeneca fell 1.3% after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it wants more clinical data on its dapagliflozin treatment for type 2 diabetes in adults to assess the "benefit-risk" profile of the drug. Sector peer GlaxoSmithKline fell by 2.2%.
Drinks firm SABMiller was flat after saying that it continues to struggle in Europe and North America, which held back lager volume growth to 3% in the third quarter.
Publishing group Pearson was lower despite upping its earnings guidance for 2011. Nomura said this morning that it expects organic growth rates to be less than 1% and flat in 2011 and 2012, respectively. The broker maintained its negative view on the stock, noting that the valuation is high at a price-to-earnings (FY12E) multiple of 14.6.
Comet-owner Kesa plummeted into the bottom spot on further news of on-going struggles, shares in rival company Dixons soared into pole position.
Soon-to-be disposed Comet, which is no longer classed as a continuing group operation for Kesa, saw third quarter sales drop by 15% and by 14.5% on a like-for-like (LFL) basis, as poor trading in the peak period between Boxing Day and the New Year offset an improving trend pre-Christmas.
While the disposal is expected to complete in two weeks' time, Kesa has revealed that given the division's performance, net debt will exceed the agreed net debt threshold by up to £10-15m.
Talvivaara, the Finland focused nickel and zinc miner, was on the rise after being notified this morning of a 'positive opinion' by the European Commission on its uranium recovery processes, which in effect certifies that the company meets the mandated safeguards for supply security of nuclearfuel.
European stocks resumed their winning ways on Thursday, extending strong recent gains amid speculation that the region's sovereign debt crisis has become increasingly manageable.
France and Spain saw borrowing costs decline in the first bond auctions they held since Standard & Poor's downgraded their credit ratings last week.
The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone bluechip stocks gained 1.86 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, added 0.95 percent.
Around Europe, France's CAC 40 index added 1.96 percent, Switzerland's SMI rose 1.3 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 0.68 percent, while the German DAX gained 0.97 percent.
CommerzBank surged 14 percent as the German lender said it expects to meet the European Banking Authority's capital requirement without needing "additional public funds".
Also, Handelsblatt reported, citing unidentified sources familiar with talks on the matter that the European Commission is likely to approve the lender's plan to integrate its property financing unit Eurohypo.
RWE lost 2.1 percent amid reports that the utility may scrap plans for the proposed Nabucco pipeline.
Aurubis gained 1.6 percent after the copper smelter said it expects uncertainties in copper product sales.
Carrefour Group lost 1.1 percent in Paris after the retailer said its fourth-quarter sales edged down from last year, amid a deteriorating environment that impacted non-food trading, while food revenues were generally resilient.
Alstom SA jumped 13.7 percent after the power-equipment maker said it expects a strong fourth quarter of orders and improved sales, despite posting a drop in sales and orders for the third quarter.
BHP Billiton rose 1 percent in London after the mining giant announced that the project for a line between its Goonyella mine and a planned coal export terminal at the port of Abbot Point is on track.
British brewer SABMiller Plc said overall financial performance for the third quarter remained in line with its expectations, with lager volumes increasing in all of its regions, particularly in emerging markets. Shares were flat
