British stocks up 0.98 pct

LONDON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- British stocks rose on Monday, with the benchmark FTSE 100 Index up 0.98 percent, or 70.91 points, to close at 7,299.19 points.

J Sainsbury, a UK-based company principally engaged in grocery and related retailing and financial services, soared 4.96 percent, the top gainer of the blue chips. Intertek Group and BHP Group increased by 3.12 percent and 2.90 percent, respectively.

Paddy Power Betfair, a bookmaking business, was the worst performer in the blue chips, with its shares losing 1.51 percent. Just Eat, an online food order and delivery service, dropped 1.48 percent. Whitbread, a British multinational hotel and restaurant company, shed 1.21 percent. Enditem