Footsie closes above 5,000 level

The FTSE 100 Index survived one or two wobbles during the session to stay above September 11 levels, closing ahead 19.8 points at 5036.0.

Even US jobless data, showing the biggest fall in employment for ten years, failed to knock the Footsie off course although the London market did fall back from its lunchtime position of 60 points ahead.