Stockmarket reports from ShareCast

• London pre-open: Early dip expected
  Thu 18 March 2010 07:44
  Footsie is expected to slip back even after the Dow Jones in the US closed at an 18-month high.

• London close: Gains pared at the close
  Wed 17 March 2010 16:48
  London's gains were trimmed just before the close as traders took a few profits before heading off to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Nevertheless, it was the highest close for the Footsie since the middle of 2008.

• London afternoon: Brokers in miners disagreement
  Wed 17 March 2010 14:29
  A firm opening by Wall Street gave UK shares an additional fillip over the lunchtime trading session.

• London midday: Arriva bid lifts mood
  Wed 17 March 2010 12:02
  London is now handily higher, with the strength of transport groups and miners cancelling out the subdued performance of ex-dividend stocks such as HSBC, Standard Life and Thomas Cook.

• London mid-morning: Arriva fever
  Wed 17 March 2010 10:22
  On a quiet day for big company results London has crawled higher, with the strength of miners cancelling out the subdued performance of ex-dividend stocks such as HSBC, Standard Life and Thomas Cook.

• London open: Footsie pushes on
  Wed 17 March 2010 08:47
  London has pushed on again this morning following strength on Wall Street late yesterday as US interest rates remained on hold.

• London pre-open: Footsie to climb higher
  Wed 17 March 2010 07:41
  Footsie is expected to make further progress in early dealings following strength on Wall Street late yesterday.

• London close: Pension deal boosts BA
  Tue 16 March 2010 17:03
  After threatening to hit a new intra-day high the FTSE 100 index saw its advance checked in the final hour of trading as profit takers moved in ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates later today.

• London afternoon: G4S locked out of market rally
  Tue 16 March 2010 14:49
  The Footsie stopped just short of dipping into negative territory over the lunchtime session before buyers moved back in just before 2pm.

• London midday: Early gains trimmed
  Tue 16 March 2010 12:03
  The FTSE 100 was clinging on to positive territory at the start of the lunchtime session after share prices went into a late morning swoon.

• London mid-morning: Miners and banks lead advance
  Tue 16 March 2010 10:05
  London has picked up where New York left off, with stocks advancing on a broad front, led by miners and banks.

• London open: US gives Footsie a lift
  Tue 16 March 2010 08:53
  Footsie opened higher on the back of a strong performance from US shares late yesterday and strong gains for Royal Bank of Scotland.

• London pre-open: Strong start expected
  Tue 16 March 2010 07:34
  Footsie is expected to open higher on the back of a strong performance from US shares late yesterday.

• London close: Footsie drifts lower
  Mon 15 March 2010 16:36
  A sluggish performance on Wall Street helped ensure Footsie finished firmly in the red after a mostly directionless day.

• London afternoon: Mixed views on banks
  Mon 15 March 2010 14:33
  Miners continue to be a drag on the blue-chip index as copper prices fall back, but the Footsie's decline remains a leisurely one.

• London midday: London lethargy lingers
  Mon 15 March 2010 12:10
  With the glut of end-2009 results announcements out of the way London looks in the mood to put its feet up and take a rest.

• London open: Footsie drifts lower
  Mon 15 March 2010 08:48
  It's a quiet start for Footsie with little company news and buyers again largely sitting on the sidelines.

• London pre-open: Dull start in store
  Mon 15 March 2010 07:44
  London looks set to get the week off to a quiet start with City traders predicting the FTSE 100 will open around 10 points lower than it's closing level on Friday.

• London close: Footsie edges forward
  Fri 12 March 2010 16:44
  The leading share index limped higher to into the weekend only a few points ahead on the week.

• London afternoon: Footsie heading higher again
  Fri 12 March 2010 14:05
  Futures pointing to a strong start on Wall Street after better than expected retail sales figures and demand for the UK banks have kept Footsie moving upwards.

• London midday: Banks keep Footsie ahead
  Fri 12 March 2010 12:00
  Banks are driving Footsie upwards following a sluggish start. Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays are all higher.

• London mid-morning: Banks lift Footsie
  Fri 12 March 2010 10:22
  Banks have injected a bit of life into Footsie following a sluggish start.

• London open: Flat start for Footsie
  Fri 12 March 2010 08:39
  Early gains have all now evaporated and Footsie has slipped into the red despite a good rally on Wall Street overnight.

• London pre-open: Small step forward expected
  Fri 12 March 2010 07:43
  Encouraged by Wall Street's late surge yesterday UK stocks are set to start the last day of the week on a firm footing. It's been a week in which Footsie has largely taken small steps, however, and the theme looks set to continue at the outset with trader

• London close: Miners pull index lower
  Thu 11 March 2010 17:02
  London bounced off 5,600 despite a weak start on Wall Street but still closed in the red on a poor day for miners.

• London afternoon: Footsie holds above 5,600
  Thu 11 March 2010 14:32
  A steady decline continued through lunch, but London bounced off 5,600 despite a weak start on Wall Street as mining sector losses narrowed very slightly.

• London midday: Thos. Cook a ray of sunshine
  Thu 11 March 2010 12:08
  The Footsie has drifted into the red, weighed down by the weakness of mining stocks.

• London mid-morning: S&N bruised by patent verdict
  Thu 11 March 2010 10:10
  London's leading shares are treading water, with losses on miners offset by gains on banks and travel companies.

• London open: Miners lead decline
  Thu 11 March 2010 08:17
  London's main index is being dragged lower by mining stocks, though Old Mutual is the weakest link among the blue chips after it published full-year results this morning.

• London pre-open: Early retreat expected
  Thu 11 March 2010 07:40
  It looks like being a gloomy start to trade in London after last night's flat finish on Wall Street, wit stocks pulling back from yesterday's new 18-month high.

• London open: Very quiet start
  Wed 10 March 2010 08:51
  London's blue chips have opened lower but there is little momentum either way at present with modest gains for the banks offset by a stack of companies going ex-dividend.

• London pre-open: Strong start expected
  Mon 08 March 2010 07:39
  Footsie is expected to move higher in early dealings having hit 5,600 points for the first time in 18 months at the end of last week.

• London pre-open: Wall Street casts a shadow
  Thu 04 March 2010 07:40
  After the late sell off in New York yesterday London shares look set to open lower, with the FTSE 100 tipped to threaten a move back below 5500 after closing at 5533 last night.

• London mid-morning: Footsie seeking direction
  Wed 03 March 2010 10:37
  Footsie is still looking for direction with little in the way of company news to move shares.

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