Oil Price Strength Pushes FTSE to 21-Month High
The UK election news had little impact on equities but did impact sterling, while commodity prices fuelled London's energy plays
The FTSE 100 index closed up 33.2 points, or 0.6%, at 5,778.1, while the FTSE 250 index took on 116.9 points, or 1.1%, to 10,426.4.
UK equities were totaly unfazed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown's announcement that the General Election will be held on May 6--news that would have surprised very few--and instead played catch up, with the energy and natural resources sectors leading the path north on the back of strengthening commodity prices. The price of crude hit its highest level in 18 months, while copper exceeded $8,000 per tonne on the London Metal Exchange. Despite any real impact on equity movements, however, the election news did hit sterling as the prospect of a hung parliament weighed. The pound was at $1.52 around the time of the UK market close.
A hung parliament could prove to be a potential roadblock to the implementation of important measures needed to curb the deficit," commented City Index market strategist Joshua Raymond, "and therefore investors have moved to sell out of sterling as a precaution should the Tory lead narrow.”
Tracking metal prices, miners Eurasian Natural Resources, Kazakhmys and Vedanta Resources each climbed between 3.0% and 3.4% higher, while oil producers and service providers AMEC, Tullow Oil and BP added 2.4%-2.7% apiece.
The high price of fuel was likely partly responsible for British Airways' weak session, but the main pressure was applied by fears its dispute with cabin crew could adversely affect its merger with Spanish carrier Iberia. British Airways shares closed down 2.3% as air transport union members flew to Spain for discussions with their Spanish counterparts tomorrow.
Index heavyweight Vodafone also dragged, 1.4% behind, following a report that it could face a shareholder battle in the Democratic Republic of Congo where its Congolese venture is seeking to raise almost $500 million in capital via a share sale.