London open: Steady gains for blue chips

Footsie is still on course for its best year in over a decade with another good housing report from Nationwide boosting building-related stocks.Plumbers merchant Wolseley and housebuilder Berkeley lead the way after Nationwide's latest survey showed house prices rose by 0.4% in December, taking the total rise for the year to 5.9%. It is the eighth month running prices have risen. Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds have recovered a little after their falls yesterday. Miners have also picked up on decent economic data in the US yesterday. Copper miner Antofagasta is the best of the bunch.Company news is at a premium, with almost no announcements this morning. Property developer St Modwen and plant hire group Ashtead are the top gainers on the FTSE 250, while sportswear chain Sports Direct is lagging.