FTSE gains as Thomas Cook collapse buoys blue-chip rivals

London's FTSE 100 index inched higher on Monday, helped by gains for several rival tour operators and airlines after the collapse of Thomas Cook and positive approvals news for drugmaker AstraZeneca. The FTSE 100 inched up by 0.2% by 0712 GMT, while the FTSE 250 index of midcaps edged 0.1% lower, outperforming losses of around a third of a percent for Europe's broad STOXX index

Tour operator TUI, airlines Ryanair, British Airways owner IAG and EasyJet jumped between 4% and 8% as traders bet the Thomas Cook bankruptcy would cut some overcapacity in the market. AstraZeneca rose around 1.5% after its diabetes treatment Qtrilmet moved a step closer to European Union approval on Friday.

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