Britain’s top stocks stage impressive recovery

FROM a seven-year low to a 16-month high, Britain’s leading stocks have staged an impressive recovery.

City analysts began this year cautiously optimistic of better news following a tumultuous 2002 that saw the FTSE 100 Index finish down for a third successive year.

The FTSE, which tracks the value of Britain’s top 100 firms, was nearing the 7,000 mark at the turn of the millennium and even at the beginning of last year it opened at 5217.4.