London midday: Updates please investors

8th Oct 2009 11:46

Footsie is still in the blue as investors give a warm reaction to company announcements, though the leading share index is off its earlier highs.Vedanta leads the mining sector higher. The Indian giant said zinc, copper and aluminium operations were at full capacity during the second quarter as it revealed a 16% rise in refined zinc production and a 27% surge in iron ore output.Xstrata, Rio Tinto, Fresnillo, Kazakhmys, Antofagasta, Anglo American and BHP Billiton are also going well. Gold futures hit another record on Wednesday, driven higher by inflation concerns and the weaker dollar. Gold for December delivery rose $4.70 to $1,044.40 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Part-nationalised bank Lloyds Banking Group, today's heaviest faller, is proposing to raise around £25bn in capital by means of a right issue and a debt to equity conversion. The plans will see the state's stake in the bank rise from 43% to 62%.In the FTSE 250, car and bike accessories retailer Halfords rallied after it saw the rate of like for like (LFL) sales growth pick up in the second quarter of its financial year. With sales and margins improving the board said it expects full-year profit before tax to be in the range of £59m to £61m.Support services and construction company Carillion is going well after saying it continues to perform well and remains on track to deliver materially enhanced earnings in 2009, despite challenging market conditions.Ladbrokes is leading the FTSE 250 fallers after the bookmaker announced plans to raise £275m via a rights issue as it warned that profitability has continued to weaken largely as a result of lower gross win margins. The group also scrapped it final dividend in 2009 but said it intends to re-instate dividend payments at the interim results next year.Mobile phone retailer and broadband provider Carphone Warehouse reiterated its existing guidance for the year to March 2010, after posting rises in customers at its two divisions. Australian air Express (AeE) has extended defence firm Cobham's long term contract to provide air freight services to eastern Australian ports. The contract extension is worth AU$100m.Recruitment firm Hays posted continuing sharp revenue falls across its geographical and business divisions in the quarter to September 30, with permanent recruitment fees leading the decline, falling by half.Italian restaurant chain Carluccio's said it expects to post a pre-tax profit ahead of expectations after seeing an 8% rise in turnover in the year to 27 September.Hochschild Mining has increased the size of the bond issue announced on Wednesday as part of its fund raising plans.FTSE 100 - RisersRexam (REX) 280.90p +3.84%Intertek Group (ITRK) 1,317.00p +3.70%Xstrata (XTA) 957.00p +3.46%Randgold Resources (RRS) 4,707.00p +3.29%Kazakhmys (KAZ) 1,134.00p +3.28%Burberry Group (BRBY) 521.00p +3.27%Vedanta Resources (VED) 2,173.00p +3.23%Anglo American (AAL) 2,162.50p +3.10%BT Group (BT.A) 134.70p +2.98%WPP Group (WPP) 558.50p +2.95%FTSE 100 - FallersLloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 92.68p -3.12%Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 48.70p -1.91%Shire Plc (SHP) 1,028.00p -1.34%BAE Systems (BA.) 330.30p -0.81%Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) 1,130.00p -0.79%United Utilities Group (UU.) 451.60p -0.75%Cadbury (CBRY) 788.00p -0.69%SEGRO (SGRO) 367.10p -0.65%British Airways (BAY) 221.60p -0.63%Unilever (ULVR) 1,758.00p -0.62%FTSE 250 - RisersHalfords Group (HFD) 390.00p +7.05%Carillion (CLLN) 296.00p +6.36%Petropavlovsk (POG) 1,086.00p +5.44%Rank Group (RNK) 93.85p +5.27%Victrex (VCT) 785.50p +4.87%ARM Holdings (ARM) 151.60p +4.84%Meggitt (MGGT) 254.00p +4.74%Aveva Group (AVV) 903.00p +4.70%Grainger (GRI) 334.60p +4.56%Morgan Crucible (MGCR) 182.10p +4.30%FTSE 250 - FallersLadbrokes (LAD) 170.40p -5.96%William Hill (WMH) 167.80p -4.77%Hays (HAS) 103.70p -2.35%Mothercare (MTC) 632.00p -1.48%Greene King (GNK) 412.90p -1.46%Marston's (MARS) 93.50p -1.42%Daejan Holdings (DJAN) 2,782.00p -1.14%Kier Group (KIE) 1,101.00p -0.99%Northern Foods (NFDS) 66.40p -0.90%UK Commercial Property Trust (UKCM) 73.10p -0.75%