Investors have dug deep and picked up large lines of stock in leading retailers after numbers from both Marks & Spencer and Next impressed.Fashion chain Next has raised its guidance for second half sales up to Christmas Eve following better than expected sales in the third quarter.That, and a 2.8% increase in interim sales at M&S was enough to propel General Retailers higher.Stronger metal prices were good for Mining, while confirmation from housebuilders Taylor Wimpey and Redrow that their businesses have stabilised buoyed Personal Goods.Top performing sectors so far todayGeneral Retailers 1,700.47 +4.73%Forestry & Paper 3,722.58 +4.35%Automobiles & Parts 2,532.13 +3.54%Mining 18,609.92 +3.22%Personal Goods 9,740.07 +3.19%Bottom performing sectors so far todayPharmaceuticals & Biotechnology 8,203.83 -0.63%Food & Drug Retailers 4,675.58 -0.17%Electricity 6,034.94 -0.02%Aeronautics and Defence NULL 0.00%Alternative Investment Instruments NULL 0.00%