“Taylor Wimpey is clearly confident in its prospects given its very positive upgrade to financial targets and its dividend,” said Laith Khalaf, senior analyst The FTSE 100 index shrugged off the first fall in inflation since last September to trade up 0.7 per cent at 6,194.90 points at 11.27am. Taylor Wimpey shares jumped after the housebuilder announced a £300 million special dividend and a positive outlook for the residential construction sector PA:Press AssociationHousebuilders and property stocks underpinned a rise in Britain’s leading shares to a two-week high. Leading the risers was Taylor Wimpey, up 5 per cent at 194p, after the housebuilder announced a £300 million special dividend and a glowing outlook for the residential construction sector, which it said looked “very positive”.

Source: The Times May 17, 2016 05:22 UTC