British housebuilder Taylor Wimpey today said its UK order book was up 67% since the turn of the year after trading conditions “improved significantly”.

UK housebuilders George Wimpey and Taylor Woodrow are understood to be in talks over a £5bn (€7.4bn) merger in a deal that would catapult the new group into the FTSE 100 Index, reports reveal today.

Stronger mining stocks were the driving force for the London market today as the FTSE 100 Index finished well above the 4800 barrier.