London’s equities markets were up on the day Thursday as the FTSE 100 added 1.6 percent to 5,677.7 and the FTSE 250 gained 1.5 percent to 9,190.5.

The telecoms sector was mixed on the day. BT Group added 1.45 percent to 226¾p on rumors that Deutsche Telecom is thinking about proffering a bid. The rumor, reported by a German business magazine, was considered possible by many analysts. Elsewhere in the sector, Vodafone was up 3.5 percent to 118p on a “buy” recommendation from Credit Suisse. Cable & Wireless, however, dropped 2.5 percent to 97½p after it issued a disappointing full-year report and a cancellation of its announced share buyback.

PartyGaming was up 0.8 percent to 123¾p, but analysts believe that shares in the online gaming business will open 3 to 4 percent lower tomorrow, taking into account that just before the close of the trading day the US House Judiciary Committee approved legislation outlawing online gambling in the United States, sending the bill on to the full house for a vote.

Airports operator BAA dropped 5.6 percent to 787½p on news that the Office of Fair Trading will investigate the UK airport industry to determine whether the current structure of the market works to the advantage of consumers.

Gainers included pub operator Mitchells & Butlers, up 3.7 percent to 499¼p when stake building rumors by Robert Tchenguiz continued to circulate.

The mining sector also saw gains as metals prices rebounded. Kazakhmys added 5.4 percent to £10.76, while Antofagasta gained 3.6 percent to £20.68.

In London on Wednesday, the London equities markets continued to rally, with the FTSE 100 closing up 0.7 percent to 6,044.1, it’s highest close since February 2001. The FTSE 250, meanwhile, ended the day up 0.4 percent to 9,935.0, its highest close ever.

The telecommunications sector saw gains, with Vodafone up 1.5 percent to 190¼p as rumors continued to circulate that the company has nearly closed a deal with Verizon Communications to sell its shares in Verizon Wireless. Verizon discounted the speculation. Elsewhere in the sector, Cable & Wireless added 0.5 percent to 107¼p.

In the mining sector, Xstrata added 2.5 percent to £19.88 as it was reported that Campanhia Vale do Rio Doce, the largest mining company in the Americas, wanted to make a deal for the company. Another company said to be interested in Xstrata, Anglo American, gained 2 percent to £23.74. Merrill Lynch upgrades helped other miners. Rio Tinto was up 3 percent to £31.35, while BHP Billiton added 2.2 percent to £11.47. Still in the metals mining area, Johnson Matthey was up 2.4 percent to £14.40 on an upgrade from Citigroup. Aquarius Platinum advanced by 6.7 percent to 865p and Lonmin gained 2.9 percent to £28.02.

In the oil sector, BP added 1.6 percent to 675p.

Brewer Scottish & Newcastle was up 5.2 percent to 544p as rumors had several rivals considering takeover bids. One of the companies said to be interested is SAB Miller, which was down 0.9 percent on the day to £11.34.

In London on Wednesday, the FTSE 100 closed up 0.3 percent to 6,007.5, the first time it has closed above 6,000 in five years. Meanwhile, the FTSE 250 was 0.5 percent higher to close at 9,858.6. Continued bid rumors and gains in the property sector were instrumental in the day’s advances.

Shares in property companies were up an the news that new rules on the introduction of tax-efficient property investment vehicles were less restrictive than they had been expected to be. Slough Estates gained 13.4 percent on the day to 685p, while Land Securities was up 12.9 percent to £20.80, British Land advanced by 11.9 percent to £13.00, and Hammerson added 9.2 percent.

BT Group gained 2.4 percent to 234½p on more intense rumors that a private equity consotium was going to bid, possibly offering as much as 265p per share. Elsewhere in the telecommunications sector, Cable & Wireless dropped 2.7 percent to 109¾p as bid rumors lessened in intensity.

Broadcaster ITV was up 9.4 percent to 650½p after it said it had rejected a bid from a consortium that included Apax Partners and Goldman Sachs, saying that the offer was not in the best interest of shareholders.

The London Stock Exchange dropped 3.3 percent to £11.38 when Credit Suisse downgraded it to “neutral” from “outperform”.

London equities markets were down so slightly on Tuesday that they closed virtually flat on the day. The FTSE 100 lost only 0.4 point to close at 5,991.3, while the FTSE 250 lost 4.9 points to close at 9,810.1. Trade was at 3.2 billion shares for the day.

In the steel sector, Corus Group gained 11.3 percent to 90p, its highest price since July 2000. The gains came on news that it was holding talks with Russian Evraz Group about a possible merger. Also leading to the advance was a move by UBS to raise Corus Group’s target share price from 85p to 105p.

Takeover rumors revived in the telecommunications sector, with talk circulating that Cable & Wireless could be a target, with private equity groups, France Telecom, and even Vodafone being named as possible bidders. C&W’s shares gained 6.4 percent on the day to 112¾p and 150 million shares in the company were traded. Colt Telecom was also a rumored target of a takeover bid, lifting Colt’s shares by 5.7 percent to 74p.

Bid rumors also lifted BG Group once again, sending its shares up 1.1 percent to 716½p.

In the retail sector, GUS was up 1.1 percent to £10.92 on a report from Deutsche Bank that the group will likely announce a break-up soon, possibly through a demerger of its credit assessment unit.

Activity in the telecommunications sector helped send London equities markets higher on Monday. The FTSE 100 was up 0.6 percent to 5,897.8, the highest it has closed in nearly five years. Meanwhile, the FTSE 250 advanced by 0.8 percent to an all-time high close of 9,546.0.

Both Vodafone and BT Group were up on the news that AT&T has made a $67 billion bid for BellSouth. This move in the US highlighted mergers and acquisitions activity in the UK and spurred hopes of further activity.

Vodafone was up 2.9 percent to 125p on the proposed sale of its Japanese division, which has not been performing to expectations, to Tokyo-based SoftBank, and on speculation that Vodafone would also sell its 45 percent stake in US company Verizon Wireless, even though most analysts felt that the sale of the Verizon shares was unlikely. BT Group added 5.1 percent to 231¾p.

Elsewhere in the sector, Colt Telecom was up 6.9 percent to 69¾p, Cable and Wireless gained 0.5 percent to 108p on rumors that it was being targeted by Thus Group, which was even at 15½p.

In the tobacco sector, BAT gained 2.5 percent to £14.43 on an upgrade from Citigroup.

In the retail sector, Matalin gained 3.8 percent to 198p on a report that its founder and chairman was talking to private equity buyers about selling his majority stake in the company. MFI Furniture was up 4.1 percent to 94¼p, also on interest from private equity groups. Home shopper N Brown gained 8.4 percent on the day to 214p.