Marks and Spencer was among the FTSE winners this time, gaining more than 6 per cent. Burberry Group also added more than 5 per cent.

It now expects earnings per share to come in at between US$1.45 and US$1.65, having previously pointed to a range of US$1.80 to US$2.10.

LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - The following FTSE 100 companies will go ex-dividend on Wednesday, after which investors will no longer qualify for the latest dividend payout.

One of the most popular funds tracking the FTSE 100, the iShares FTSE 100 (LSE: ISF) exchange-traded fund (ETF), today confirmed dividends from the blue-chip index had reached an all-time high.

The FTSE 100 advanced 0.5%, to close at 6,755.6, while the FTSE 250 rose 0.2%, to settle at 14,720.9. US Market Snapshot. US markets closed lower yesterday after the Federal Reserve's President, Charles Evans indicated that the US economy is still open ...

In direct contrast, the junior market was trailing on Tuesday. The FTSE AIM All share fell 0.71 to 727.8, while the FTSE AIM 100 dropped 5.09 to 3338.98. On FTSE AIM 100, the biggest loser was San Leon Energy , which dropped over 10% to 7.29p ...

At the close of business, the FTSE100 was up 48.24 points at 6,803.07 and the FTSE250 ahead 84.53 points at 14,805.45. NEW YORK US stocks were muted in late morning trade, with investors holding off ahead of Ben Bernanke's testimony and the FOMC ...

FTSE 100 movers: Carnival dives on profit warning LONDON (SHARECAST) - Cruise ship operator Carnival, the world's largest, took a hit after it issued a brutal profit warning overnight for its full-year earnings per share, primarily as a result of lower ...

The FTSE 100, which closed at 6723 points on Friday, was a whisker higher than the level it hit in 2007. It is now just 207 points short of its 6930 all-time high, reached just before New Year's Eve in 1999 shortly before the dotcom party ended.

So the FTSE 100 finished at 6624.98, up 0.5% on the day but off its best levels following a weak start on Wall Street. At the beginning of the shortened bank holiday week, the index stood at 6521.