Bid talk fails to boost FTSE

ICI is posting the biggest gains with a rise of 2.92% to 555.5p, and Home Retail has added 2.56% to 460.5p, as both stocks are the subject of vague bid talk, while supermarket chain Tesco is up 1.11% to 456.5p. Miner Xstrata is also performing well with a rise of 1.34% to £27.20, while Scottish & Newcastle is up 2.15% to 618.5p, although gains are being limited by Cadbury Schweppes which has slipped 1.12% to 664p, and Hanson which is down 1.63% to 816p. However, the losers are dominated by stocks which have gone ex-dividend today including Alliance & Leicester which has slipped 2.86% to...