Around the World's Markets: London

THE STOCK market closed higher yesterday as Wall Street's strength offset fears of a domestic monetary tightening.

The FTSE 100 ended 50.5 up at 6,412 in thin volume, while the midcap finished 30.6 better at 5,771.5 and the Small Cap posted a 11.9 rise to 2,572.7. Sentiment was underpinned by strong performance in the Dow, but the London rally was constrained by worries that the Bank of England might hike rates on Thursday.

Derek Pain, page 23