The UK’s largest homebuilder and a Kazakh copper mine were promoted to the FTSE 100 Index tonight at the expense of household names Whitbread and William Hill.

Ports and ferries group P&O tonight won the race to replace BPB in the ranks of the UK’s top 100 companies after the plasterboard maker stopped trading following a foreign takeover.

Takeover activity helped lift the mood on the London market today as plasterboard maker BPB ditched its opposition to being bought by a French rival.

A busy session for corporate activity today revitalised the FTSE 100 Index and eased concerns that its recent rally had run its course.

Glass maker Pilkington rejected a takeover approach today from its biggest shareholder on the grounds that it was too low.

Glassmaker Pilkington today confirmed it had received a takeover approach thought to be worth up to £2bn (€2.9bn).

The London market resumed its rally today as investors continued their hunt for potential takeover candidates.

London shares notched up their sixth consecutive day of progress today despite spending most of the session in the red.

The London market reached a new three-year high today as the soaring price of crude delighted investors in oil majors.

Investors were in the money in London today as upbeat results from HSBC put the FTSE 100 Index on course for a third week of gains.

The London market shrugged off uncertainty over yesterday’s attacks in the capital to end the week in positive territory.

Financial stocks dragged the top flight down today as uncertainty continued to dog the market after the latest terror attacks.

Top flight stocks stayed in positive territory today despite the second attack on London’s transport system in as many weeks.

French glass and building materials group Saint-Gobain said today it was mulling a takeover offer for UK plasterboard manufacturer BPB.

Leading shares plunged in opening deals, dragged lower by TMTs, heavyweight drugs and oils after precipitous falls on Wall Street last night, with only a handful of defensively positioned stocks registering a gain, dealers said.

London investors were on tenterhooks they waited for news of what could be one of the biggest corporate collapses in US history.

Rawlplug, which makes wall-fixings, was today snapped up by plaster and plasterboard supplier BPB for £27m.