Market roundup: Grocers make gains as Morissons, Tesco, Sainsbury's top FTSE

British supermarkets Morissons, Sainsbury's and Tesco dominated gains on the FTSE Wednesday as the index closed up 1.05% pulling away from a two-month low with UK industrial output also beating expectations.

"Supermarket giants Tesco, Sainsbury's and, to a lesser extent, Morrisons have endured some torrid times recently," said AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould. The rivals "were at the top of the blue chip leader board," he added, after Sainsbury's first-quarter sales came in a little better than forecast.

The supermarket giants made it into the market's top five risers of the day, gaining 4.63%, 4.54%, and 4.96% respectively.

But London-based British multinational banking and financial services company Standard Chartered led the pack with a +5.66% rise on the day after its new CEO Bill Winters said the bank must bolster its finances after mistakes in recent years. He is expected to speed up cost-cutting at the company.

Chancellor George Osborne's Mansion House speech is late Wednesday.

FTSE 100 biggest risers

• Standard Chartered Plc +60.00 (+5.80%) 1,094.00
• Associated British Foods Plc +156.00 (+5.35%) 3,070.00
• Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets +8.50 (+4.96%) 179.90
• Tesco Plc +9.35 (+4.63%) 211.45
• Sainsbury Plc +11.30 (+4.54%) 260.30

FTSE 100 biggest fallers

• Weir Group Plc -8.00 (-0.42%) 1,914.00
• Marks & Spencer Group Plc -1.50 (-0.27%) 553.50
• Pearson Plc -1.00 (-0.08%) 1,272.00
• HSBC Holdings Plc -0.30 (-0.05%) 613.40

FTSE AIM 100 biggest risers

• Boohoo.com +3.00 (+11.54%) 29.00
• Monitise Plc +1.25 (+9.43%) 14.50
• Amerisur Resources Plc +2.00 (+6.40%) 33.25
• Majestic Wines +20.50 (+4.83%) 445.00
• Optimal Payments Plc +10.75 (+4.11%) 272.00

FTSE AIM 100 biggest fallers

• Hutchison China Meditech -95.00 (-5.25%) 1,715.00
• Sirius Minerals Plc -0.75 (-3.57%) 20.25
• Tungsten Corporation Plc -2.50 (-3.17%) 76.25
• Purecircle Ltd -12.50 (-3.05%) 397.50
• Young & Co's Brewery Plc -35.00 (-2.77%) 1,230.00