Upbeat trading news from blue-chip companies helped drive the London market into positive territory today.

BAE Systems and VT Group were today reported to be close to completing a £1bn (€1.48bn) merger of their shipbuilding assets.

Investors were in bullish mood today as shares in London powered to their highest level for more than five years.

Shares in London powered to a new five-year high today amid heightened optimism in the City.

Negative sentiment on Wall Street spilled across the Atlantic today as the London markets gave up early gains to plunge into the red.

Copper prices that have risen 60% since the start of the year and touched a new high encouraged investors to plough more money into the mining sector today.

The appointment of a new chief executive at Compass continued to please investors today as the FTSE 100 Index stayed above the 6,000 threshold.

Engineering group Babcock added around £130m (€188m) to its value today as defence firms BAE Systems and VT Group considered a takeover bid which would reshape Britain's shipbuilding industry.

The world’s biggest single-masted yacht – costing more than £30m (€44.9m) – set out on its maiden voyage today.

THE world’s biggest single-masted yacht — costing more than €45 million and designed by Kinsale-based designer Ron Holland – was unveiled yesterday.