LONDON (AFP) –
Shares in London ended on a firm note Wednesday as investors digested the Bank of England's latest assessment on the recession-hit economy.

The FTSE 100 index rose 0.69 percent to 5,266.75 points.

Telecom giant Vodafone was the most traded stock with traders exchanging 179 million shares, followed by beleaguered bank RBS which saw 103 million units switch hands.

Randgold was the session's star performer gaining 281 pence -- or 6.14 percent -- to finish at 4858. Fresnillo followed climbing 49.50 pence -- or 5.88 percent -- to stand at 892.

Reed Elsevier was the biggest casualty tumbling 19.50 pence -- or 4.02 percent -- to finish at 465. Cobham was next falling 4.30 pence -- or 1.86 percent -- to end at 226.9

The pound lost ground against the euro and the dollar.

At 16:58, sterling was trading at $1.6589, down from $1.6745 at Tuesday's close. The pound fell against the euro, dropping to 1.1077, down from 1.1171 over the same period.