London's leading shares start 3Q in fine fettle

The FTSE 100 index put in a strong performance on the first session of the third quarter as encouraging manufacturing data from around the globe set the scene

Holly Cook | 01-07-09 | E-mail Article

Rallying resource stocks and retailers helped drag the FTSE 100 index more than 2% higher on Wednesday, kickstarting the third quarter in fine fettle and more than making up for yesterday’s damp end to the previous three months.

The FTSE 100 index closed 91.5 points firmer at 4,340.7, a gain of 2.2%, while the FTSE 250 index added 92.2 points or 1.2% to settle at 7,506.7.

European markets also got off to a strong start and across the pond, US indices shrugged off a worse-than-expected job losses report that claimed private sector losses totalled 473,000 in June and instead took their lead from improvements in manufacturing activity and a moderate gain in pending home sales.

There was also some positive manufacturing data here in the UK. The CIPS/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers' index increased to a marginally-higher-than-expected 47.0 in June from 45.4 in the previous month. This reading—the highest in over a year—combined with the upbeat US report and stronger manufacturing data from China to help fuel sentiment around the globe.

A weaker dollar and strength in Chinese manufacturing boosted metal prices on Wednesday, while a report released overnight that revealed a larger-than-expected fall in US crude inventories pushed oil prices higher.

As such, metal extractors featured heavily on the leaderboard, with six of the ten spots occupied by mining stocks. Vedanta Resources, Antofagasta, Eurasian Natural Resources, Xstrata, Kazakhmys and BHP Billiton rallied between 4.5% and 9.9%.

Heavyweight oil producers BP and Royal Dutch Shell’s respective gains of 2.6% and 2.0% gave the broader index an additional boost.

And retailers also attracted buyers after the UK’s largest department store operator, Marks & Spencer beat market expectations for its first quarter sales performance. The figures prompted several analysts to raise forecasts, with consensus seen rising around 5% overall, while Numis Securities also upgraded its recommendation on the stock to Hold. Click here for more on M&S’s results.

M&S shares climbed 3.8% higher, taking with them Kingfisher (+3.9%), Next (+3.9%), Home Retail (+2.0%) and mid-cap Debenhams (+3.7%).

Sticking with the second tier, National Express was by far the worst midcap performer, plunging 8.2% after it was announced the bus and rail operator will hand its East Coast rail franchise back to the government and risks losing additional rail franchises. Click here to read analysts’ recent comments on the future of the company and its franchise following its rejection of an offer from FirstGroup.

You can now receive this market commentary, and all the latest equity commentary, funds research, and general investing articles direct to your inbox via our new Daily Newsletter.

Holly Cook is Site Editor of Morningstar.co.uk and Hemscott.com. She would like to hear from you but cannot give financial advice. You can contact the author via this feedback form.
© Copyright 2024 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Terms of Use        Privacy Policy        Cookie Settings        Disclosures