FTSE 100 down as Eurozone outlines banking supervision rules
The leading share index was trading around 0.2 per cent down this morning, as Europe finance ministers clinched a deal to give the European Central Bank new powers to supervise Eurozone banks from 2014.
Energy services firm Wood Group was the biggest blue chip faller, sinking more than 2.5 per cent in early deals. In a pre-close update this morning, it said it saw “good growth” for the year.
Blue chip steelmaker Evraz fell 2.28 per cent in early deals.
On the FTSE All-Share, mining shares suffered. Egyptian miner Centamin sank more than 40 per cent on news that operations at its main asset, the Sukari gold mine, had been suspended.
Coal miner Bumi, which yesterday said it would move towards a split from Indonesian Bumi Resources, fell 4.85 per cent.
Rig maker Lamprell fell almost five per cent in early deals.
Explorer Tullow Oil and British Land headed up the blue chip winners this morning, rising almost two per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively.
Miner Petra Diamonds was a FTSE 250 riser, adding more than three per cent. Finnish miner Talvivaara increased 2.9 per cent, as it yesterday dropped out of the FTSE 250 into the small caps.
UK banking shares had a mixed morning. HSBC rose 0.17 per cent, RBS fell 0.03 per cent, Barclays added 0.46 per cent while Lloyds Banking Group was flat in early trading.
In Asia, the Nikkei closed 1.68 per cent up, while across the pond the Dow Jones closed down 0.02 per cent.