Blue-chips sends Footsie off on a high festive note

BLUE-CHIP shares pushed ahead yesterday as a subdued session on the London market ended on a more festive note.

For most of the day the FTSE 100 Index was stuck in a narrow trading range as the City wound down for Christmas.

Low volumes and a dearth of corporate news dominated, and official figures showing the British economy had grown faster than first thought in the third-quarter had little impact.