IN BRIEF

Shares in house builder Persimmon jumped more than 2.5% after it said home sales rose sharply over the past six months. Nicholas Hyett, an analyst at brokers Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Momentum continues to build at Persimmon but rising interest rates remain something of a bogeyman.” Two-fifths of kids aged eight to 16 want to be the next entrepreneur like Sir Richard Branson, a survey by Barclays says. Virgin Trains is running a summer sale, with fares from just £4. There is up to 50% off tickets on sale from today until next Tuesday, for travel from July