Around the World's Markets: London

SHARES CLOSED higher for the first time in four days yesterday boosted by hopes of an interest rate cut next week.

The FTSE-100 index had a roller-coaster session. It closed 58.9 higher at 5566.1 after swinging in a 182-point arc. A gloomy CBI survey and worries over Wall Street caused a bout of selling in the morning. The losses were wiped out in early afternoon following a raft of interest rate cuts in the euro-zone. The monetary easing in Europe fuelled hopes of a cut by the Bank of England next week.