The FTSE 100 Index was on the verge of a record-breaking run today after it closed higher for a 10th day in a row.
London’s main market has climbed on 11 consecutive days only three times previously and not since the recession of 2008.
The top-flight has improved every day this month, although today’s rise was a relatively lacklustre 7.5 points to 6,693.6.
Low-cost airline easyJet set the pace, with a rise of 8%, or 94p, to £12.24 as it took advantage of Britons fleeing the winter deep freeze and rival capacity cuts to reduce first half losses by 46% to £61million.
Its update lifted fellow carrier and holiday firm TUI Travel, which was up 8.2p to 355.4p, a 2% gain.
Utility Severn Trent jumped by 14%, or 13p to £20.90 on speculation that a consortium behind a failed takeover bid for the firm could return with an offer worth about £5.3billion.
Other big Footsie risers included Land Securities ahead 50.5p at £9.85, London Stock Exchange Group up 71p at £14.06 and Marks and Spencer rising 15.4p to £4.36.
ITV was among the heaviest fallers – down 2.5p at 129.2p – after it forecast a difficult summer for advertising revenue, partly due to comparisons with 2012.
Oil giants Royal Dutch Shell and BP were under pressure after the European Commission started a probe into alleged price-fixing. Shell was 55p lower at 2300.5p and BP was down 1p at 467.6p.
Carrie Keenan, of investment manager and financial planning specialist Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen, noted STV Group up 2.67% to £1.31, Standard Life gaining 1.66% at 411.5p and Faroe Petroleum rising 1.61% to £1.11. Wood Group shed 3.02% to 801.5p and SSE weakened 1.24% to £15.91.
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