London’s blue-chip stocks opened higher this morning following on from good overnight performances in Asia and the US.
US investors were boosted by positive economic data sending the Dow Jones up 192 points to 18,252. Meanwhile, the S&P500 posted another record finish, gaining 1% to close at 2,121.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 added 135 points to 19,705, while in China, the Shanghai Composite Index lost 63 after a positive run as investors were thought to be selling stock to make cash to invest in a new round of IPOs.
In the UK, the FTSE 100 was 18 points higher to 6,991 this morning led by soft drink bottler Coca-Cola (LON:CCH).
The second largest bottler of the brands of The Coca-Cola Company said it was trading in line with expectations. Shares rose 3% to 1,459p.
Elsewhere, SABMiller (LON:SAB) said it is getting into the craft beer market with its acquisition of Proactive staff-favourite Meantime.
On the news that SABMiller will buy the Greenwich-based craft beer company, shares rose 1% to 3,637p.
Meanwhile in broker news, Online video game specialist Game Digital (LON:GMD) was bumped up to a ‘buy’ by HSBC. Shares climbed 1.3% to 249p.
US heavyweight Goldman Sachs downgraded platinum producer Lonmin (LON:LMI) however, to ‘sell’ from ‘buy’. Shares eased 2.4% to 140p.
In small caps, DekelOil’s (LON:DKL) new kernel crushing plant is expected to arrive in the Ivory Coast within 8 weeks. Shares climbed more than 5% to 1.3p.
Elsewhere, ambitious speciality biopharma group Circassia Pharmaceuticals (LON:CIR) unveiled two chunky acquisitions that will be funded from a £275mln cash call. Shares fell 5% to 304p.
Baron Oil (LON:BOIL) has signed a contractor for a seismic programme at the Block XXI exploration project, in northwest Peru. Shares were 6.5% lower to 1p.