MIDDAY REPORT: Headline shares were firmly higher at midday, amid confidence that a deal for Greece will be agreed by Eurozone finance ministers, with miners climbing on hopes of growth in demand in China.
At midday, the FTSE100 was up 47.67 points at 5,952.74 with the FTSE250 ahead 113 points at 11,425.2 and the FTSE Smallcaps 24.04 points better at 3,087.89.
NEW YORK
At midday, the FTSE100 was up 47.67 points at 5,952.74 with the FTSE250 ahead 113 points at 11,425.2 and the FTSE Smallcaps 24.04 points better at 3,087.89.
NEW YORK
Stock Market Futures - 2/20//2012 -Updated 9.17 AM EST
I will keep updating ....
S & P 500 Futures 6.40
NASDAQ Composite Index Futures 13
Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures 68
Oil Futures 104.14
Stock Market Hours
LONDON MARKETS
Encouraging news from China and growing confidence that Eurozone finance ministers will agree a deal for Greece when they meeting Brussels today set a positive mood in London.
Base metals prices rose as China announced policy easing measures and WTI crude jumped above $105 a barrel as Iran cut supplies.
A healthy rise in copper prices gave Antofagasta a boost of 40p at 1,344p, while BHP Billiton rose 63p at 2,086p and Rio Tinto improved 111.5p at 3,733.5p. Kazakhmys topped the midday leaderboard, ahead 36.5p at 1,160.5p.
Oil producers gained on the jump in crude prices, with BP additionally lifted by hopes of a spill settlement this week. BP gained 11.08p at 500.03p, while Shell added 3p at 2,330p and Tullow Oil rose 29.5p at 1,595.5p.
Financial issues improved on hopes of a Greek deal, with banks gaining ahead of numbers from the two part-nationalised units later this week. Lloyds gained 1.035p at 36.49p, Royal Bank of Scotland added 0.87p at 28.47p and Barclays advanced 3.05p at 251.4p.
Insurers following the trend, with Aviva the best of them, up 9.7p at 379.7p. Elsewhere, Prudential rose 5.75p at 726.75p and Legal & General gained 1.8p at 123.5p.
The builders' merchants extended their recent good run, with Wolseley gaining 57.5p at 2,464.5p and CRH ahead 28.5p at 1,371.5p.
News from the British Retail Consortium of improved retail footfall last quarter received muted applause from the retailers. Tesco was 2.53p higher at 320.43p, Marks & Spencer added 5.5p at 358.1p and Sainsbury gained 3.4p at 304.9p, but Morrisons eased 0.55p at 296.75p.
Irish pharmaceutical group Shire slipped 22.5p at 2,255p as investors pocketed some gains after last week's strong performance.
Satellite operator Inmarsat slid 5.1p at 477.5p after announcing that a payment due from US wireless network operator LightSquared under the terms of the Cooperation Agreement between the two companies has not been received.
Utilities were on offer, their defensive qualities redundant in the climbing market. United Utilities dipped 6.75p at 601.75p, National Grid lost 3.75p at 641.25p and Severn Trent was the worst blue chip performer of the day, down 23p at 1,528p.
I will keep updating ....
S & P 500 Futures 6.40
NASDAQ Composite Index Futures 13
Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures 68
Oil Futures 104.14
Stock Market Hours
Monday -2/20/12 February 20, 2012 - Washington's Birthday (Presidents' Day) February 20, 2012 - Closed
Tuesday- 2/21/11 February 21, 2012 - Regular schedule - 4pm close
LONDON MARKETS
Encouraging news from China and growing confidence that Eurozone finance ministers will agree a deal for Greece when they meeting Brussels today set a positive mood in London.
Base metals prices rose as China announced policy easing measures and WTI crude jumped above $105 a barrel as Iran cut supplies.
A healthy rise in copper prices gave Antofagasta a boost of 40p at 1,344p, while BHP Billiton rose 63p at 2,086p and Rio Tinto improved 111.5p at 3,733.5p. Kazakhmys topped the midday leaderboard, ahead 36.5p at 1,160.5p.
Oil producers gained on the jump in crude prices, with BP additionally lifted by hopes of a spill settlement this week. BP gained 11.08p at 500.03p, while Shell added 3p at 2,330p and Tullow Oil rose 29.5p at 1,595.5p.
Financial issues improved on hopes of a Greek deal, with banks gaining ahead of numbers from the two part-nationalised units later this week. Lloyds gained 1.035p at 36.49p, Royal Bank of Scotland added 0.87p at 28.47p and Barclays advanced 3.05p at 251.4p.
Insurers following the trend, with Aviva the best of them, up 9.7p at 379.7p. Elsewhere, Prudential rose 5.75p at 726.75p and Legal & General gained 1.8p at 123.5p.
The builders' merchants extended their recent good run, with Wolseley gaining 57.5p at 2,464.5p and CRH ahead 28.5p at 1,371.5p.
News from the British Retail Consortium of improved retail footfall last quarter received muted applause from the retailers. Tesco was 2.53p higher at 320.43p, Marks & Spencer added 5.5p at 358.1p and Sainsbury gained 3.4p at 304.9p, but Morrisons eased 0.55p at 296.75p.
Irish pharmaceutical group Shire slipped 22.5p at 2,255p as investors pocketed some gains after last week's strong performance.
Satellite operator Inmarsat slid 5.1p at 477.5p after announcing that a payment due from US wireless network operator LightSquared under the terms of the Cooperation Agreement between the two companies has not been received.
Utilities were on offer, their defensive qualities redundant in the climbing market. United Utilities dipped 6.75p at 601.75p, National Grid lost 3.75p at 641.25p and Severn Trent was the worst blue chip performer of the day, down 23p at 1,528p.
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