Insurance giant Prudential was on the front foot thanks to cheer over its annual results, but outsourcing giant G4S suffered hefty share losses after revealing slumping profits.
FTSE 100-listed Pru rose 2% as it announced a 22% hike in operating profit to £4 billion and unveiled a special dividend payment.
The wider FTSE 100 Index edged higher, ahead 17.6 points to 6143.1, as gains from financial stocks offset falls among miners and commodity firms.
Oil prices edged 1% higher to just over 40 US dollars a barrel after falling on Tuesday as analysts predicted production levels to fall, easing over-supply issues.
Pru was in sharp focus after it upped its total divi by 5% and said it would pay a special divi of 10p a share.
Shares lifted 15p to 1341.5p.
G4S was seeing contrasting fortunes in the FTSE 250 Index, tumbling 12% or 26.1p to 186.7p after it said statutory profits at the group fell to £8 million, down from £145 million a year ago.
The group pledged to sell more businesses and booked £255 million of costs as it continues an overhaul to put behind it the prisoner tagging scandal and its failure to supply adequate security for the London Olympics.
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