London midday: Shares hesitant as nervousness continues

30th Nov 2010 12:05

Shares are still seeking direction having given up their early lead amid nervousness over the European debt situation.The US could provide a lead. Investors are gearing up for a report on US consumer sentiment at 3pm UK time and the S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values, due out an hour earlier.Miners African Barrick and Rio Tinto are still in demand after recent bullish updates. African Barrick has found more gold in Tanzania, while Rio is upping its capital spend programme to meet what it expects to be strong demand for years to come.BG is in fine fettle after Barclays upgraded the oil and gas giant to 'overweight' from 'equal-weight', but British Airways hit turbulence as industrial action could hit the New Year holiday period and extend into 2011.BP has agreed to invest $2.5bn in the Sunrise oil sands project in Alberta, Canada, its first major investment since the Gulf of Mexico spillage. The UK firm, which owns 50% of the project in northern Alberta, said it was "a significant milestone" for the company and represented a "40-year secure and stable source of production for North America".Birmingham City Council has extended and expanded its existing contract with outsourcing titan Capita in a deal worth about £300m to Capita. Wood Group, the provider of support services to the oil and gas industry, has won an $875m engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for Israel's largest private power plant.An increase in net new business helped fund manager Aberdeen Asset chalk up a meaty profit rise last year as it took 'full advantage' of the stock market revival. Underlying profits in the year to September rose to £210 from £85.1m, on revenues of £639m against £422m. Funds under management rose to £178.7bn.Tile and flooring specialist Topps Tiles posted higher profits in the year to October 2 as sales recovered and said it is confident in spite of subdued consumer confidence. On a like-for-like basis, sales increased by 1.7%, against a 13.1% fall the previous year.Sensor technology group Halma saw increased revenue and profit in all three of its divisions in the 26 weeks to 2 October. Group revenue rose 12% to £249.1m from £222.1m at the interim stage last year. Organic revenue growth on a constant currency basis was 10%.Travel group Holidaybreak pointed to the resilience of its education division in the face of reduced consumer spending as it posted a rise in profits despite lower sales. Pre-tax profits in the year to September 30 rose to £30.7m from £28.2m, even as revenues fell to £461.7m from £473.4m.Cake and bread maker Finsbury Food served up a 4.9% increase in like for like sales in the first 17 weeks of the current financial year ending 30 June 2011 as it continues to drive down costs. Its Bread and Free From division saw robust organic growth of 12.3% year on year, with its fresh gluten free bread ranges driving demand.FTSE 100 - RisersCairn Energy (CNE) 384.40p +1.80%Man Group (EMG) 265.00p +1.65%Carnival (CCL) 2,610.00p +1.60%ARM Holdings (ARM) 396.90p +1.53%GKN (GKN) 190.50p +1.22%BT Group (BT.A) 171.00p +1.18%ICAP (IAP) 479.10p +1.14%Aggreko (AGK) 1,470.00p +1.03%Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 61.14p +0.99%African Barrick Gold (ABG) 508.00p +0.99%FTSE 100 - FallersStandard Life (SL.) 204.80p -2.01%British Airways (BAY) 256.90p -1.65%Smiths Group (SMIN) 1,140.00p -1.64%Amec (AMEC) 1,090.00p -1.62%Barclays (BARC) 258.75p -1.60%Weir Group (WEIR) 1,681.00p -1.29%Essar Energy (ESSR) 495.10p -1.28%Schroders (SDR) 1,612.00p -1.10%Schroders (Non-Voting) (SDRC) 1,277.00p -1.08%Resolution Ltd. (RSL) 217.40p -1.00%FTSE 250 - RisersEnQuest (ENQ) 137.90p +3.68%De La Rue (DLAR) 571.00p +3.35%Victrex (VCT) 1,233.00p +2.58%SThree (STHR) 286.70p +2.39%Jupiter Fund Management (JUP) 296.70p +2.31%Croda International (CRDA) 1,457.00p +1.67%Renishaw (RSW) 1,136.00p +1.52%Enterprise Inns (ETI) 108.50p +1.40%Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP) 329.50p +1.38%Rank Group (RNK) 128.70p +1.34%FTSE 250 - FallersLamprell (LAM) 288.40p -5.75%Xchanging (XCH) 104.50p -4.04%Devro (DVO) 256.70p -3.60%Halma (HLMA) 318.00p -3.34%Micro Focus International Plc (MCRO) 328.00p -3.02%Bellway (BWY) 523.50p -2.70%Capital & Counties Properties (CAPC) 145.30p -2.61%Ashmore Group (ASHM) 349.70p -2.54%Mitie Group (MTO) 206.00p -2.46%Melrose Resources (MRS) 229.40p -2.34%