LONDON -- The big miners drove the FTSE 100 (INDEX: ^FTSE) lower today after news that China is introducing measures to help cool an overheating property market raised fears of a further slowdown in demand for minerals and other commodities. The index of top U.K. shares is down 0.55% to 6,344 points as of 10 a.m. EST.
But with the index down, which shares are up? Here are three that have gained ground today.
Intertek (ITRK -0.62%)
Full-year results from Intertek Group sent the shares up 1.1% to 3,418 pence. The safety and product-testing experts recorded a 17% rise in revenue to 2.05 billion pounds, with an 8.6% growth in organic revenue at constant currency.
Adjusted earnings per share rose by 22% to 131.2 pence, enabling the full-year dividend to be lifted by a similar 22% to 41 pence per share for a yield of 1.2%. While that's unlikely to excite any income investors, earnings and dividends have been rising steadily year on year.
Bunzl (BNZL -0.87%)
Distribution and outsourcing specialist Bunzl saw its shares boosted by 1.9% to 1,310 pence by the news that the firm is expanding into the Brazilian health-care market. Bunzl has acquired Sao Paulo-based Labor Import Comercial Importadora Exportadora, which supplies and distributes medical consumables.
Today's rise has topped an excellent start to 2013 for Bunzl: The share price has soared by 30% since the end of December. That comes after years of steady earnings and dividend growth, and there is more expected this year and next -- though the recent rise has taken the shares to a forward P/E of 17.
Sirius Minerals (SXX)
Sirius Minerals shares have perked up a modest 0.7% to 24.9 pence today. That's not a lot, but at least it's bucking the trend of the big miners, which are all dropping today. Sirius, which specializes in the development of potash resources, released an update on its York Potash Project pipeline.
The submission of documents is all going according to plan, with chief executive Chris Fraser telling us, "Planning consent for the pipeline will allow the York Potash Project to utilise a tried and tested technology that transports the mineral in the most efficient, effective and sustainable way possible."
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