Flat end to a lacklustre session
UK indices close little changed as markets approach the Easter weekend; mining sector strength offsets falls in the financial and oil sectors
The FTSE 100 index closed just 5.0 points below breakeven at 3,925.2, down 0.1% on the day, while the FTSE 250 index ended Wednesday’s session virtually unchanged, a mere 1.6 points lower at 6,718.4. Marginal gains on Wall Street in early US deals helped bring UK indices back to flat levels from their morning losses but failed to instill any positive moves in the market.
As Tuesday’s heightened concerns over the outlook for financial companies prevailed, a number of financials were again under pressure today, with banks Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group and HSBC all slipping between 1% and 3% lower, closing at 26.1p, 71.7p and 437p, respectively. Asset management firm Man Group and insurance group Prudential stood out amongst the broader financials, easing 2.3% to 220.75p and 2.2% to 336.75p each.
Oil & gas producers were the main weight on London’s leading index, with BG Group down 3.3% at 1,031p as the stock traded ex dividend, Cairn Energy 2.9% weaker at 2,074p and Tullow Oil off 1.8% 748p.
Conversely, the metal miners offset much of the financial and oil sector losses to keep overall index falls to a minimum. Recent bond raisings by Anglo-Australian mining group BHP Billiton has spurred on market speculation that the group could be about to embark on a shopping spree. Industry consolidation talk helped fuel a 4.0% rise in Vedanta Resources to 773p, an increase of 3.8% in Rio Tinto shares to 2,243p—although UK laws prevent BHP from bidding for Rio until after November, and gave a boost of 3.4% to 1,372p for Lonmin. BHP's own shares slipped 0.2% to 1,357p, meanwhile.
Real estate investment trust (REIT) British Land was among the top-performing blue-chips by end of play Wednesday, 7.2% higher at 418.5p, followed by peers Land Securities—up 5.9% at 516p, and Liberty International—5.6% ahead at 416.25p.
Earnings news filtering through from the abroad impacted a few UK stocks: drinks group Diageo fell back 2.0% to 782p after French peer Pernod Ricard issued an outlook statement that struck a cautious tone, while medical devices group Smith & Nephew received a fillip after US peer Biomet reported reconstructive sales up 10% in the three months to February. The positive read-across for S&N saw shares in the group take on 6.4% to close at 450p.
Transcending individual sectors, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research’s announcement today that the UK economy probably shrank by 1.5% in the first quarter of 2009, kept investors subdued, while a survey from Nationwide that showed consumer confidence fell further last month also weighed.