31.   London dealers said that a rally in government bonds which pre-empted a widely anticipated fall in British unemployment figures lifted market sentiment slightly.

32.   London dealers said that they did not expect Chancellor of the Exchequer Kenneth Clarke to raise interest rates in the short term and this had lifted market sentiment.

33.   London dealers said that stocks were lifted by strong gains on Wall Street overnight and they added that market sentiment was also lifted by continued takeover activity.

34.   London dealers said that continuing bid speculation surrounding the Smithkline Beecham pharmaceuticals giant had lifted market sentiment.

35.   News about officials at the ongoing NPC in Beijing saying the government will continue to maintain the stability of stock markets lifted sentiment, analysts said.

36.   Regional market gains also helped lift sentiment across the board although some stocks fell victim to profit-taking, they added.

37.   Results from ICI, despite being at the top end of forecasts, did not lift sentiment.

38.   Share prices here rose slightly early on Friday when a swathe of favourable company news lifted market sentiment, despite overnight losses on Wall Street, dealers said.

39.   Takeover speculation also lifted sentiment, particularly in the insurance and banking sector, after the proposed takeover of TSB by Lloyds.