The FTSE 100 Index saw hopes of its highest finish in four years extinguished today by news that the United States had stockpiled more oil than traders thought.

Mobile phone giant Vodafone helped the FTSE 100 Index soar to a fresh four-year high today as investors cheered news on customer numbers in Japan.

British construction group Mowlem warned on profits today for the second time in as many months and said its finance chief was quitting.