SummarySummary Companies FTSE 100 hits record high, trading above 8,000 pointsCentrica, StanChart, Relx jump on upbeat resultsVodafone rises on report of looking at options for Africa unitFTSE 100 up 0.3%, FTSE 250 adds 0.4%Feb 16 (Reuters) - UK's FTSE 100 rose to a record high on Thursday, underpinned by corporate earnings from Centrica and Standard Chartered, while higher commodity prices drove up heavyweight miners.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) gained 0.3%, trading comfortably above the 8,000-point mark it had breached in the previous session.
The exporter-heavy FTSE has had a stellar start to the year as positive corporate earnings and rising commodity prices supported the index.
Shares of Centrica (CNA.L) jumped to top the FTSE 100, adding 4.2%, after the British gas owner's annual profit more than tripled and as it announced an extension of its share buyback programme.
Standard Chartered (STAN.L) rose 1.8% after the lender reported a 28% rise in annual pretax profit and unveiled a $1 billion share buyback programme.