With the US stock market closed for the Presidents' Day holiday - and many of the Asian markets due to close during the week for the Chinese New Year - it was a quiet start to the week for UK stocks in turnover terms.

But the lack of turnover did not prevent London from extending its rally to a third session, as many dealers and investors refocused their attention on the long-time market favourites, the banks, telecoms, drugs and media stocks.

Those sectors, which have been the driving forces behind the London market over the past couple of years, were in the forefront of yesterday's strong market performance, providing the top-four winners.

Marketmakers said last week's stunningly good figures from Lloyds TSB - the first of the UK banks to report in the current season - had triggered a strong follow-through of demand for the rest of the sector, especially Barclays Bank.

The latter raced up another 4 per cent in front of today's numbers, which dealers expect to produce a 15 per cent-plus increase in the dividend total.

NatWest, due to report a week today, and Lloyds TSB were close behind Barclays. Turnover in equities was 747.4 million shares, with non-FTSE 100 stocks accounting for 52 per cent.