Positive day for FTSE

The London market started the week on the front foot today as investor confidence returned after recent wobbles over Chinese stocks and global interest rates.

Mining stocks helped give the FTSE 100 Index a leg-up, to close 62.4 points up at 6567.5.

BHP Billiton was ahead 35p at 1303p, with fellow mining stocks not far behind on the Footsie share risers' board after a broker note from UBS suggested there was further upside to come from the mining sector.

Vedanta Resources rose 38p to 1503p and Rio Tinto was also up 91p at 3592p after the positive outlook.

Specialist chemical company Johnson Matthey led the day's top share performers however, with a rise of 5%, or 73p to 1665p.

The group's shares recovered some of the losses seen last week when investor profit taking saw the stock close down despite Johnson Matthey posting a higher-than-expected 18% rise in underlying annual pre-tax profits.

Cadbury Schweppes also made further gains, up 21p at 703p, as investors positioned themselves ahead of a forthcoming update on break-up plans. That could lead to the £8bn (€11.8bn) sale of the company's American beverages arm.

British Gas owner Centrica was another to fare well in the day, with shares up by 2%, or 7.75p at 367.25p after Russian gas giant Gazprom said over the weekend that it was close to finalising an unnamed deal to increase its market presence in the UK.

Shares in Centrica jumped more than 4% at one point earlier in the session as the UK firm had previously been highlighted as a possible target for Gazprom. Shares cooled later after Gazprom denied the speculation.

Banking group Barclays also lost some of the gains made in the morning, but still closed up 10.5p at 733p as it emerged that activist shareholder Atticus had called for the company to drop its ABN Amro bid and instead invest in the existing business,

Royal Bank of Scotland eased 2.5p to 659.5p as investors continued to worry about the risks involved in a successful bid for ABN Amro.

Can maker Rexam was another of the few fallers after it announced a share placing in order to pay for its £800m (€1.18bn) acquisition of an American plastic packaging business. Shares were off 17p at 494.5p.

Mobile phone giant Vodafone followed it up the losers' board as shares gave back some of the advances seen last week after shareholder group ECS called for a return of cash to investors. The stock was down 2p at 157.9p.

Outside the top flight, takeover speculation ignited JJB Sports - up 8.25p at 257.75p - after founder Dave Whelan sold his family's 29% holding on Friday night.

A joint venture featuring Icelandic financial institution Exista and former Sports World director Chris Ronnie have taken the stake in the business.

The biggest Footsie risers were Johnson Matthey, ahead 73p at 1665p, Cadbury Schweppes up 21p at 703p, BHP Billiton up 35p at 1303p and SAB Miller up 32p at 1206p.

The biggest Footsie fallers were Rexam, down 17p at 494.5p, Persimmon off 16p at 1229p, Vodafone down 2p at 157.9p and Royal Dutch Shell off 16p at 1977p.