London close: Shares roar ahead after euro deal

Markets were focused on the European debt crisis situation rather than the continuing political uncertainty here and, with European ministers having agreed a €720bn deal to prop up the euro, shares soared more than 200 points.Banks Barclays, Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) all racked up double-digit percentage gains with Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered close behind. Market rumours suggest that RBS is set to announce 2,500 job cuts today.Miners surged as the apparent stabilisation of the situation bodes well for the global economy. Mining company Anglo American is to get out of the zinc business, selling its portfolio of zinc assets to Vedanta Resources. Vedanta is paying $1,338m for Anglo American Zinc on an attributable, debt and cash free basis.South African platinum miner Lonmin bounced back into the black at the interim stage on sharply increased revenue. Profit before tax for the six months to 31 March was $77m compared to a loss of $196m a year earlier. Revenue grew to $661m from $436m at the interim stage last year.On the company announcement front, Centrica remains positive about the earnings outlook for 2010 as British Gas has added over 200,000 residential energy accounts so far this year and the upstream UK business maintains production targets. The group said its UK residential energy supply business British Gas had a "very strong" start to the year, with the number of joint energy and services households it serves up 50,000.BG Group has boosted its US shale gas interests with the acquisition of a 50% stake in partner EXCO's acreage in the Appalachian Basin at a total cost of $950m. Water company United Utilities has agreed to sell its Australian business to a consortium led by Mitsubishi Corporation for A$225m. The consideration payable for United Utilities Australia includes A$176m in cash and A$49m in net debt.Tougher competition and higher costs on some newer public sector contracts have hit contractor and support services group Interserve's performance so far in 2010.Moving to the FTSE 250, strong demand pushed up diamond prices during the first quarter of 2010, Gem Diamonds said today. "The better than expected Christmas sales in the US, restocking in the cutting centers and continued strong demand for diamond jewellery in India and China have resulted in strong rough and polished diamond prices," boss Clifford Elphick wrote in a trading update.Funeral home operator Dignity said underlying operating profit in the first quarter of 2010 was flat, while revenue edged higher. Revenue increased by 1.9% in the 13 week period to 26 March 2010 to £53.9m from £52.9m in the corresponding period of 2009.Rockhopper Exploration has found that samples recovered from a test well in waters off the Falkland Islands have all shown to be oil, indicated a good quality reservoir and a mobile crude oil.African Eagle is "extremely pleased" with the remaining assay results from its recently completed drilling programme at Ngasamo Hill, part of its Dutwa Nickel project in Tanzania.Bioquell, the bio-decontamination (BIO-DECON) technologies and compliance services specialist, has tumbled to its lowest in over 12 months following a full-year profits warning.FTSE 100 - RisersBarclays (BARC) 321.75p +13.41%Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 50.25p +10.44%Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 59.10p +10.41%Standard Chartered (STAN) 1,723.00p +9.61%Aviva (AV.) 332.50p +9.59%Vedanta Resources (VED) 2,526.00p +9.07%Legal & General Group (LGEN) 82.45p +9.06%Kazakhmys (KAZ) 1,302.00p +8.77%Anglo American (AAL) 2,710.00p +8.34%Wolseley (WOS) 1,528.00p +8.29%FTSE 100 - FallersCapital Shopping Centres Group (CSCG) 355.20p -21.36%Randgold Resources (RRS) 5,510.00p -2.22%BP (BP.) 549.00p -0.88%Capital & Counties Properties (WI) (CAPC) 133.90p 0.00%National Grid (NG.) 605.50p +1.00%Prudential (PRU) 548.50p +1.01%Smith & Nephew (SN.) 648.00p +1.01%Imperial Tobacco Group (IMT) 1,800.00p +1.12%Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) 1,074.00p +1.51%Reed Elsevier (REL) 488.80p +1.83%FTSE 250 - RisersEnterprise Inns (ETI) 120.30p +11.91%Trinity Mirror (TNI) 140.20p +11.01%Talvivaara Mining Company (TALV) 393.90p +10.86%Lamprell (LAM) 239.00p +10.80%Ferrexpo (FXPO) 302.60p +10.48%Yell Group (YELL) 50.00p +9.65%International Personal Finance (IPF) 245.60p +9.64%Ecofin Water & Power Opportunities (ECWO) 143.60p +9.62%Gem Diamonds (GEMD) 275.80p +9.31%Redrow (RDW) 142.00p +9.23%FTSE 250 - FallersMcbride (MCB) 186.50p -1.37%Fidessa (FDSA) 1,270.00p -0.78%BH Global USD Shares (BHGU) 10.92 -0.09%Kesa Electricals (KESA) 115.10p +0.09%Arriva (ARI) 764.50p +0.33%BH Macro EUR Shares (BHME) € 16.77 +0.42%BH Global GBP Shares (BHGG) 1,130.00p +0.44%Impax Environmental Markets (IEM) 118.70p +0.68%BH Macro GBP Shares (BHMG) 1,737.00p +0.81%Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 898.50p +0.84%