London’s FTSE 100 Index made tentative gains today as world markets steadied after yesterday’s sharp sell-off on concerns over the eurozone crisis.
The Footsie pulled out of the 1.6% slump in Wednesday’s session to stand 11.3 points higher at 5,779.4
A rebound for mining stocks helped the London market, with Evraz 6.3p higher at 244.5p and Randgold Resources up 140p to £74.75.
Banks also recovered, with Barclays 3.6p higher at 217.25p and HSBC ahead 5.8p at 579.5p.
Security firm G4S was among the fallers however amid reports that at least one of its executives would lose their job in the wake of an independent report into its failure to provide the 10,400 guards commissioned for the Olympics. Shares closed 1.3p lower at 263.7p, while rival Serco also fell 2p to 583p.
Catering giant Compass declined 1%, even though it announced plans to address its struggling performance in southern Europe. The drive to streamline its business in the economically-ravaged region was welcomed by analysts, and while shares were initially higher they slipped to stand 7p lower at 704.5p.
Outside the top flight, shares in TUI Travel were higher after it said most of its summer programme was fully sold, keeping it on track to meet expectations for the financial year just about to end. With bookings for winter and next summer also showing improved trends, shares rose 2.9p to 233p.
The biggest Footsie risers included Melrose up 6.5p to 245.7p, BAE Systems 7.6p ahead at 327.3p and Tate & Lyle up 15.5p to 670p.
The biggest Footsie fallers were International Consolidated Airlines Group down 2.4p at 151.5p, Pennon off 10p at 718.5p, Tesco 4.4p lower at 335.6p and Capital Shopping Centres down 3.4p to 328.9p.
Alan MacPhee, of investment manager and financial planning specialist Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen, noted that Wood Group was up 1.65% to 801p.
The day’s fallers included Plexus, which dropped slightly down 1.47% to 135p, with Xcite Energy losing 0.95% to 104.75p.
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