LONDON (AFP) - Shares in London closed sharply higher on Monday, adding nearly four percent despite a technical glitch which prevented trading for most of the business days.

The FTSE 100 index jumped 3.92 percent to close at 5,446.30, despite technical problems, which saw trade suspended between 9:15am and 4:00pm.

The surge mirrored positive sentiment across Europe where stock markets across the board closed higher after the US government launched a bailout of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, helping ease fears of a global financial meltdown.

Trading resumed near the end of the session Monday on the London Stock Exchange, an LSE spokeswoman said.

By the end of the session, Schroeders and Schroeders non-voting shares were the top two gainers, which the former adding 11.94 percent -- or 114 pence -- to close at 1069, and the latter adding 12.56 percent -- or 106 pence -- to end at 950.

On the downside, pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline was the biggest loser, shedding 1.61 percent -- or 20.50 pence -- to close at 1249.50.

Trade was also temporarily halted on the InterContinental Exchange because of a technical problem, the operator said.

It was not clear whether the glitch was linked to the stoppage on the LSE.

"There was a connectivity issue this morning (on the London Stock Exchange) which affected some clients so we have suspended connectivity in order to bring it back in a controlled fashion," an LSE spokeswoman earlier told AFP.

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