LONDON (AFP) –

Blue chips closed higher as Wall Street remained firmer, with Rexam, Admiral and Aviva all continuing to gain after positive earnings news.

At close, the FTSE 100 index was up 101.5 points to 5,420.7, near a session high of 5,319.2.

Vodafone was the most traded stock, seeing 169 million units change hands, followed by Lloyds TSB which saw 143 million shares switch owners.

Insurer Admiral gained 89 pence — or 10.8 percent — to finish at 914 pence after reporting a 16 percent rise in first-half profit before tax, beating analysts’ expectations. Ferrexpo was next up by 31 pence — or 11.7 percent — to stand at 295.25.

Lloyds TSB fell 15 — or 4.67 percent — to finish at 306 after reporting a 70 percent drop in its first-half pretax profit, after a 585 million pounds writedown charge as a result of market turbulence.

Drax Group followed loosing 14 pence — or 1.91 percent — to end at 719.