The London market opened strongly today amid takeover speculation over broadcaster ITV.
Talk of a private equity approach for ITV led the broadcaster to the top of the FTSE risers' board. The stock was up 3p to 79.5p, or nearly 4 per cent, following weekend reports of a possible deal.
Gains for miners also buoyed the FTSE 100 Index after a strong session on Friday, when leading stocks gained more than 2 per cent.
After an hour of trading, the FTSE index was 14.1 points higher at 6043.3, as overnight gains in Asia added to the momentum.
Among the fallers, it was a bad day for Ryanair, which reported gloomy prospects for next year amid higher fuel costs and a consumer squeeze.
British Airways fell 3p to 315p, while in the FTSE 250, Easyjet slipped 37p to 429.75p.
PA