Aviva, Aberdeen lead FTSE higher after four days of losses

Aviva and Aberdeen Asset Management sat atop the FTSE 100 leaderboard on Thursday morning but the wider market remained subdued.

Aviva has gained 2.58% to 400p this morning after completing the sale of its US life and annuities business for £500m more than originally announced last December. Aberdeen, meanwhile, rose 1.8% to 380p to erase some of the losses sustained earlier this week on concerns over its emerging market exposure. On a relatively quiet day of trading, BP also gained after a legal reprieve relating to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a ruling which may save it billions in costs. The group's shares rose 1.6% before gains were pared slightly, rising 0.7% to 435p as of late morning. GlaxoSm...