EasyJet boosted by special dividend hope The low-cost carrier, which entered the blue-chip index for the first time last month, was chased higher by traders today after analysts at Citigroup estimated shareholders could be in line for further special payouts. Upgrading their recommendation on the airline to "buy" from "neutral," they argued that easyJet, which declared a bumper dividend at its 2011 full-year results, may be in a position to pay more. "Despite ordinary dividends and capex, net cash could reach £1.25bn by the 2015 full-year and £2bn by the 2020 full-year," the bank's experts said, adding the company could announce a special payout of about £140m because the group is estimated to have approximately £700m of free cash-flow in the 2013 financial year. "easyJet already has excess capital on its balance sheet by its board's own metrics." The main board advanced 37 points to 6,350, helped once again by the miners, which were in demand after fresh data showed that imports to China - the world's biggest consumer of industrial metals - rose sharply last month. Shares in Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation put on 3.5pc, Vedanta Resources added 3pc in the wake of a production update and Evraz gained 2.8pc. On the FTSE 250 - up 55 points in early deals - AZ Electronic Materials, which plunged 35pc a day earlier after releasing a shock profit warning, rebounded 12.6pc today, helped by analysts at UBS, who raised their rating on the group to "buy" from "neutral." They said yesterday's move was "overdone" and estimated the shares had "potential for 40pc upside from here based on what we feel are relatively prudent assumptions."