Stimulus hopes help FTSE 100 Xstrata resumed its place toward the top of the FTSE 100 on Monday as investors continued to warm to the improved bid terms offered by Glencore. The miner's unpredictable suitor softened the terms behind its increased all-stock offer of 3.05 new Glencore shares for every existing share held in Xstrata, up from the 2.8 on the table until moments before the meeting at which investors looked set to reject it. IN UK Equities The 11th-hour improvements energised Xstrata on Friday, and as trade resumed on Monday it was back near the top of the leaderboard, up 2.5 per cent at £10.38. Glencore slipped 1.1 per cent to 373.8p. Wider resource stocks underpinned the FTSE 100 as expectations for stimulus action in China combined with hopes for more quantitative easing in the US after last week's poor jobs data from Washington was followed more weak economic data out of Beijing. Seven of the top 10 best-performing stocks came from the mining sector. Among them, Kazakhmys was 2.4 per cent higher at 673p and Rio Tinto was 1.6 per cent stronger at £30.69. It left the current valuation on London's benchmark index - which was flat at 5,795.8 in midday trade- looking all the more dependent on central banks. "Since topping in late August, the FTSE 100 drifted lower ahead of a number of central bank meetings after rallying almost the entire summer on rumours of fresh stimulus plans from the US, Europe and China," said James Hyerczyk, analyst at Autochartist. Since breaking out over the key level resistance at 5,771.80, a near-term upside target has been established at 5,866.80. Associated British Foods came under pressure as traders used a positive trading update to take profits. The company, which makes Silver Spoon sugar and Twinings tea, said profits from its sugar business would be "considerably higher," helped by rising revenues in Europe and Africa. Primark, ABF's discount fashion chain, remained its main provider of growth after a strong summer, prompting is parent company to predict a substantial rise in annual earnings. Nonetheless, after a strong run, the company's shares fell 1.3 per cent to £12.89. They started the calendar year trading at £11.15. The upbeat news from Primark offered the first insight into UK high street trading after a complex summer, which featured heavy rain and an unusually busy run of events, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as the Diamond Jubillee and the Euro 2012 football championships. Since the news looked strong, there were gains for big high street names. Marks and Spencer was 2 per cent higher at 368.4p, one of the best showings on the FTSE 100. On the FTSE 250, JD Sports rose 1.7 per cent to 672½p. Dixons Retail was 1.4 per cent higher at 19½p. Overall, London's mid-cap index, seen as more representative of the domestic UK economy, was 8 points higher at 11,816.52, a rise of 0.1 per cent.