The London market shot higher yesterday in response to global and corporate encouragement. By mid-morning the FTSE 100 index had driven forward 144 points and was back - unsustainably - above 6,000.

It had responded to a 2 per cent jump by the Dow Jones on Thursday, and a strong performance from the Asian markets.

Principally, however, the blue-chip index had taken its cue from the full-year figures announced by Lloyds TSB which not only came out above analysts' forecasts but included a positive statement.

Footsie had recorded a rise of 260 points in less than two sessions and was left gasping for oxygen. It careered down throughout the rest of the morning to lose half of its height by the time Wall Street opened.

Footsie hurtled back in the last two hours of the session and was actually down on the day at one point - a swing of more than 150 points. Then, the buyers moved back and it closed 62.2 higher at 5,950.7, a strong performance by comparison with its Continental rivals. The FTSE 250 gained 0.7 to 5,187.7 and the SmallCap 11.2 to 2,237.0.