Bargain hunting raises FTSE share prices

The FTSE 100 Index is 53.4 points ahead at 5069.6 as investors are picking up a host of blue-chip stocks.

A number of market heavyweights are fuelling the rise, with Vodafone up 1½p to 158¼p, BT 15p better off at 378p and GlaxoSmithKline climbing 44p to £19.35.