Footsie starts week on a high

A sharp rise by Vodafone and the possibility of two more heavyweight deals re-ignited the FTSE 100 Index’s push towards the 6000 barrier today.

Upbeat broker notes and renewed speculation over the future ownership of BAA added to the heady mix as the Footsie rose another 44.9 points to close at 5952.8 – a level not seen for almost five years.