FTSE 100 rallies amid Covid vaccine rollout

Shares

in London have risen sharply on the first day of trading in 2021 amid

optimism stemming from the rollout of the second coronavirus vaccine.The FTSE 100 index of larger companies rose 3% in early trading, while the more UK-focused FTSE 250 rose 1.5%.The main market was led by a surge from Ladbrokes owner Entain, which jumped 26% after a bid from rival MGM Resorts.The pound also gained against the dollar, rising to $1.37 for the first time since May 2018."The

FTSE 100 has begun the new trading year on the front foot," said

Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at stockbroker

Hargreaves Lansdown.