ROYAL & Sun Alliance Insurance is expected to post a 17% rise in first-half operating profit this week, but the run-up to Thursday's results announcement has been dominated by rights issue talk.

Investors will be able to digest a raft of economic and corporate updates this week, from interest rate decisions in the both the UK and US to results from Marks & Spencer and British Airways.

The FTSE 100 Index is up 52.8 at 4417.6 at mid-morning.