M&S profit tops hopes; consumers upbeat

It bucked an industry trend for falling sales with a 0.3 percent rise in outlets open at least a year in the 13 weeks to October 25.

Housebuilders Taylor Wimpey and Redrow both reported an improving housing market, sending their shares up as much as 11 and 6 percent respectively.

(Additional reporting by Matt Scuffham and Lorraine Turner in London and Tresa Sherin Morera in Bangalore; editing by Simon Jessop and Hans Peters)