FTSE sees best performance in month

The FTSE 100 Index climbed to its highest level in more than a month today despite heavy falls for Prudential and HSBC.

Prudential tumbled 12% today in reaction to its £23.5bn (€26bn) approach for the Asian division of stricken US insurer AIG, amid worries over the risks of the mega-deal and the dilutive impact on shareholders of the UK’s biggest ever rights issue.