LONDON -- The FTSE 100
It all seems due to a few sparks of optimism finally coming from the eurozone, coupled with some positive results from our high streets and from other sectors, with some firms -- like Home Retail -- looking like they might have passed the bottom.
And it's pretty much the same across the main indexes of Europe, which are a tad down today but up nicely on the week.
Big fallers
Shares in Invensys dropped 16% in morning trading, down 42 pence to 215 pence, after spiking 32% in last-minute trading yesterday. The reason? Bid speculation. The firm made a statement early this morning that it was aware of yesterday's leap, and that it had indeed been engaged in takeover talks, but that those talks have been canned.
AIM-listed Noventa saw its shares plummet by 24% to 3.1 pence this morning, valuing the company at just 5 million pounds, after it announced that its latest refinancing plans are in tatters. The troubled tantalum miner has until July 31 to find replacement funding for its expiring loan facility.
Less dramatic fallers included Go-Ahead Group
Some impressive results
Software house Micro Focus
Good annual results also boosted Ashtead Group
Mixed resources action
Sirius Petroleum gained 7% to 3.4 pence on a development update, and Shanta Gold is up 8% to 21.8 pence after a new plant was successfully commissioned.
But New World Oil & Gas dropped 6% to 11 pence, despite an update on its Blue Creek Project, which it described as positive. Aquarius Platinum fell 9% to 54 pence after announcing the mothballing of its Everest mine.
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