Investors paused for breath today as they failed to take the FTSE 100 Index to a record-equalling 11th successive day of gains.
The top-flight’s winning run finally came to an end as it closed 5.8 points down at 6,687.8 points.
Insurer Aviva was among those on the front foot after it reported an 18% rise in the value of new life and pensions business for the first quarter. Shares jumped 7%, finishing up 23.4p at 346.5p.
Holiday and travel companies continued to gain following signs of a turnaround at Thomas Cook.
The tour operator jumped 13%, or 19.4p to 164.1p, on the FTSE 250, after it announced a £1.6billion refinancing plan to tackle its debt mountain and a big drop in underlying half-year losses. Rival TUI Travel, which is listed in the FTSE 100 Index, rose by 13.4p to 368.8p and British Airways owner International Airlines Group added 7.7p to reach 276.7p.
Outside the top flight, Dixons Retail shares were higher after it reported like-for-like sales growth of 13% in the UK as it continues to benefit from the collapse of rival Comet and strong demand for tablet computers. The FTSE 250 Index stock rose 10% or 3.5p to 40p.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 also included Royal Bank of Scotland, up 11.8p at 318.8p.
Among the biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were Associated British Foods, down £1.06 at £19.25, Fresnillo, off 43p at £10.77, BSkyB slipping 31p to £7.95 and Polymetal International, down 21p to 633.5p.
Carrie Keenan, of investment manager and financial planning specialist Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen, noted Faroe Petroleum added a further 2.49% to 115.25p and Wood Group moved up 2.31% to close at £8.20.
Fallers included Optos, which dropped 16.72% to 134.25p, while BG Group finished the day 1.1% lower at £12.09.
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