Argos and Homebase owner Home Retail Group is set to lose its blue-chip status when the latest quarterly review of the FTSE 100 Index takes place next week.

The FTSE 100 Index surged 1.4% today as investors were cheered by decent economic news and corporate results from across the Atlantic.

The new owner of Friends Provident announced a sharp rise in profits at the life assurer today but said tough trading conditions in the UK reinforced the case for more deals in the sector.

Tesco’s banking arm in the UK has launched its life insurance business with insurer Friends Provident.

The London market soared 2% to a fresh 10-month high today as shares rallied for a fourth session in a row.

The London market pulled into positive territory today as early gains on Wall Street helped boost sentiment.

The London market was dragged into the red today as financial stocks foundered on concerns over the banking sector.

British life insurer Friends Provident today recommended a £1.86bn (€2.16bn) takeover offer by investment firm Resolution.

Renewed hopes of a takeover for Friends Provident sent the insurer's shares soaring today, but part-nationalised banks suffered amid uncertainty over future prospects.

Uncertainty over the prospects for Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland put pressure on shares in the part-nationalised banks today.

Young people are less gloomy about the recession than their parents appear to be, according to a report published today.

British insurer Legal & General sent shares falling across the sector today after revealing a £351m (€414m) hit to investments and another dividend payout cut.

A bout of profit-taking knocked the wind out of the London market’s sails today while a dividend cut at insurer Legal & General saw the stock sink more than 6%.

The London market extended its winning streak to an eleventh day today after a late climb into the black.

The rally on the London market hit a new five-and-a-half-year high today as the FTSE 100 Index closed up for the eighth session in a row.

The London market’s best run of the year continued today after the FTSE 100 Index added another 1.5% in a strong start to the week.

London’s FTSE 100 Index secured its fifth day of gains today as blue chip stocks including British Airways drove the market higher.

London's blue chip share index staged a late session rally today as optimism on Wall Street added to investor cheer over a potential takeover of Friends Provident.

Hopes of consolidation in the insurance sector meant shares in Friends Provident and other leading players posted strong gains today.

World markets struggled for direction today, despite an apparent boost from the US Federal Reserve last night.

Jitters over the impact of swine flu and the strength of major banks sent the FTSE 100 Index into the red today.

London’s FTSE 100 Index stormed more than 3.4% ahead today despite news that the UK economy had suffered its sharpest contraction in 30 years.

The FTSE 100 Index struggled for direction today as the UK's drift into deflation took the shine off upbeat retail results.

Further gloomy economic news from the US sent the FTSE 100 Index into negative territory today amid signs the word's biggest economy is far from recovery.

The FTSE 100 Index surrendered a positive start today after a broker downgrade for Lloyds Banking Group sparked a fresh slump in banking shares.

The Footsie was mired in the red today as investors took stock of the US government’s banking rescue scheme.

A strong start on Wall Street helped the FTSE 100 Index finish a volatile session in positive territory today.

Insurer Aviva lost more than £2bn of its value today as financial stocks took a hammering during another bleak session for the London market.

The FTSE 100 stayed in the red today despite the continued rally in bank shares.

The attempt by Barclays to reassure investors over its funding position continued to buoy its shares and others in the banking sector today.

Barclays shares jumped 72% today after the bank took unprecedented steps to reassure investors that it remained well-funded and profitable.

Further pressure on banking stocks and more mixed economic data combined to keep the FTSE 100 Index close to its opening mark today.

Commodity stocks propped up the FTSE 100 Index today despite a more difficult session for retailers in the wake of Woolworths’ closing-down sale.

Stock markets rallied strongly today as investors looked to a fresh set of measures to help the ailing global economy.

An upbeat opening on Wall Street helped drag London’s leading stocks into positive territory today.

Britain faced more jobs misery today over plans by Royal Bank of Scotland to axe around 3,000 staff.

BT Group shares lost 24% of their value today after the telecoms giant reported a major blow to earnings at its global services division.

Interest rate cut hopes and a smaller-than-expected contraction in the US economy helped the London market consolidate recent gains today.

The London market continued its recent revival today after a weaker dollar helped push a number of leading commodity stocks higher.

The FTSE 100 Index jumped 8% today as hopes for another round of interest rate cuts led to the third biggest gain in the benchmark’s history.

London’s FTSE 100 Index surged 5% today after banks and insurers enjoyed strong gains on expectations of further heavy interest rate cuts.

A reassuring trading update from insurer Aviva and better-than-expected results by oil major BP helped settle stock market nerves today.

Almost £49bn (€61.4bn) was wiped off the value of blue-chip shares today as fears mounted about the scale of the recession facing the UK and world economies.

The London market overcame recession fears to finish in positive territory today after a late session boost from Wall Street.