Britain's leading share index pushed higher this morning, the first session after the four-day Jubilee holiday weekend, rallying on expectations that recent disappointing economic data and worsening eurozone credit crisis could prompt central banks to announce fresh stimulus measures.
This morning the FTSE 100 index was up 44.23 points, or 0.9%, at 5,304.23, having closed 1.1% lower on Friday at its lowest level for six months after US jobs growth came in at the weakest in a year in May.
Miners led the blue chips higher as copper prices rose slightly supported by a weaker dollar, with investors playing it relatively safe ahead of a European Central Bank meeting today.
Vodafone was the biggest blue chip faller, down 3.7%, as the market heavyweight's stock traded with the entitlement to its latest dividend, alone knocking 12.45 points off the FTSE 100 index's gains.
Overall ex-dividend factors chopped 13.72 points off the blue chip index, with Associated British Foods, Evraz , Intertek, and WPP Group the other stocks trading without their payout attractions.
