A cheery update from budget carrier easyJet helped airlines advance on the London market while mounting bid speculation kept Vodafone in the spotlight.
Luton-based airline easyJet gave a lift to British Airways owner International Airlines Group and tour giant TUI Travel as it said passenger numbers increased 5.4% in October year-on-year.
Renewed talk of a possible bid from US giant AT&T helped blue chip heavyweight Vodafone move 1% ahead to 230.6p, but trading remained sluggish on the wider FTSE-100 Index, down 5.2 points to close at 6741.7.
This came despite further record highs in trading on Wall Street, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up nearly 90 points in early trading to hit more than 15,700 on hopes that the Federal Reserve will keep up its stimulus program for some time.
More upbeat UK economic data also did little to boost trading after official figures showed output from Britain's factories rebounded in September.
EasyJet helped the sector recover from Ryanair's recent profits warning after reporting that passenger traffic hit 5.5 million in October, while it also flew fuller planes.
Shares in easyJet climbed 11p to 1214p, while International Airlines Group was 4.7p higher to 349.8p. Thomson owner TUI advanced 8.5p to 383.6p.
Elsewhere, Primark owner Associated British Foods was one of the biggest FTSE-100 risers after it was buoyed by broker upgrades following Tuesday's 44% annual profits surge by the budget fashion chain.
Primark's "outstanding" year helped the group post a 13% rise in underlying profits to £1.1 billion. Its shares advanced 3% or 61p to 2269p.
Credit-checking agency Experian held back the blue-chip index as it said trading conditions remain "subdued" in some emerging markets.
Experian also announced a deal to buy a US healthcare payments firm Passport Health Communications for £528 million. Its shares were 81p lower to 1182p, a 6% fall.
Outside the top tier, Premier Foods was 3% or 4.5p higher to 144.5p as it considered offering a slice of its Hovis business to outside investors in a bid to revive its bread division.
The group, whose other brands include Mr Kipling and Bisto, has appointed Ondra Partners to assist in developing options for the business, which could include co-investment by a partner.
An outright sale of the bread arm is not thought to be under review, having been considered by a previous management team last year.
The biggest FTSE-100 risers were G4S up 7.8p to 257.5p, Associated British Foods 61p ahead at 2269p, Old Mutual 4.6p higher at 204.2p and Barclays up 5.7p to 254.7p.
The biggest fallers were Experian down 81p to 1182p, Mondi off 46p to 1070p, Antofagasta 31p lower at 858p and Persimmon 29p weaker at 1186p.
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