London’s leading shares index closed higher today despite borrowing costs in Spain hitting euro-era highs and doubts over EU plans to save the country’s banking sector.
After a last-minute push, the FTSE 100 Index closed 41.3 points higher at 5,473.7, with banks leading some of the gains.
Royal Bank of Scotland added 0.6p at 222p, while Lloyds Banking Group was up 0.7p at 29.2p after the sale of its remittance business in Japan to Shinsei Bank.
In corporate news, shares in designer label Ted Baker were down despite a 16.2% rise in store sales as it stepped up its international expansion. The stock, which has enjoyed a decent run in recent weeks, was down 17.5p to 892.5p.
Spirit Pub Company was also lower, down 2.3p to 45.5p, as the Chef & Brewer owner reported a slowdown in sales growth in its managed pubs estate, alongside an 8% drop in like-for-like net income for its leasehold pubs.
Hamper and loyalty cards firm Park Group was half a penny lower at 45p after it reported a 23% rise in full-year underlying profits to £8.6million.
The biggest Footsie risers were Randgold Resources up 165p at £57.65, Icap ahead 9.2p at 346.5p and Fresnillo up 33p at £14.29.
Among the biggest Footsie fallers were Man Group down 2.2p at 74.5p, Polymetal International off 19.5p at 790p, Evraz down 5.9p at 266.7p and Whitbread off 38p at £18.49.
Barry Shepherd, of investment manager and financial planning specialist Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen, noted Nautical Petroleum gained 3.8% to 299p and Aggreko rose 2.1% to £22.29.
Among the day’s fallers, Ithaca Energy finished down 7.5% at 105.8p, FirstGroup gave up 2.5% to 204.5p and Petrofac eased 1.5% lower to £15.09.