Market round-up: Sweet sales, takeover rumours lift FTSE 100

The FTSE 100 shot up Monday (22 June) on hopes that Greece will reach a deal with its creditors, after the country handed in a "reasonable" proposal to break the stalemate in negotiations last night.

Closer to home, chocolate maker Thorntons stock was boosted 42.86% in early morning trading on news that the makers of Ferrero Rocher are moving to buy up the UK firm.

"Ferrero has struck a sweet deal with Thorntons with an agreed offer of 145p [229c] per share, which is a 42.9% premium to Friday's closing price and values the business at just under £112m," said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

Water company Severn Trent rose 5.89% on news that a Canadian investment firm may be considering a bid, and Sky also helped to push the FTSE forward after it was reported Rupert Murdoch may seek to take full control of the company.

The FTSE 100 gained 1.72%, its biggest rise in weeks, to hit 6,825.67p.

Oil exploration and production company Afren lost ground after it announced last Friday that it would need shareholders to approve a refinancing package to recover $148m by restructuring its outstanding loans.

FTSE 100 biggest risers

Severn Trent Plc +121.00 (+5.89%) 2,176.00
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA +21.00 (+4.15%) 526.50
Carnival Plc +120.00 (+3.79%) 3,288.00
United Utilities Group Plc +35.00 (+3.68%) 987.00
Taylor Wimpey Plc +6.90 (+3.66%) 195.30

FTSE 100 biggest fallers

Randgold Resources -85.00 (-1.89%) 4,413.00
Hikma Pharmaceuticals -36.00 (-1.85%) 1,911.00
Fresnillo -9.00 (-1.26%) 703.50
Weir Group Plc -6.00 (-0.34%) 1,785.00
easyJet Plc -1.00 (-0.06) 1,580.00

FTSE AIM 100 biggest risers

Iomart Group +12.00 (+5.04%) 250.00
Scapa Group Plc +9.00 (+4.59%) 205.00
Powerflute OYJ +3.00 (+4.58%) 68.50
Advanced Medical Solutions Group Plc +6.25 (+4.39%) 148.50
Ithaca Energy Inc +2.00 (+3.81%) 54.50

FTSE AIM 100 biggest fallers

Sirius Minerals Plc -1.25 (-6.94%) 16.75
Gemfields Plc -4.00 (-6.27%) 59.75
Young & Co's Brewery Plc -70.00 (-5.43%) 1,220.00
Tungsten Corporation Plc -2.75 (-4.68%) 56.00
Regenersis Plc -8.50 (-3.98%) 205.00