FTSE 100 movers: Miners up on trade hopes; Hiscox drops again
London's FTSE 100 was up 0.1% at 7,378.05 in afternoon trade on Tuesday.
Miners were among the best performers, with Antofagasta, Glencore and BHP all higher amid growing expectations that the US and China will strike a trade deal.
Associated British Foods was sitting pretty at the top of the index after it reported a rise in adjusted full-year profits as its Primark and grocery businesses offset a sharp fall in sugar earnings. Adjusted pre-tax profit rose 2% to £1.4bn on a 2% increase in group revenue to £15.8bn.
Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said: "AB Foods is playing to its strengths, with its two largest units doing most of the heavy lifting.
"Amid the positive potential, the missing part of the jigsaw of late has been a share price which has fallen 12% over the last six months and has drifted 7% over the last year, as compared to a 3.7% gain for the wider FTSE 100. Today’s share price reaction to these results undoes some of that damage and the general market view of the shares as a buy is also a reflection of the esteem in which the company is held."
On the downside, Hiscox retreated for the second day in a row after its third-quarter trading statement on Monday, as Jefferies cut its price target on the stock.
FTSE 100 - Risers
Associated British Foods (ABF) 2,371.00p 5.42%
Schroders (SDR) 3,254.00p 4.29%
Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 1,818.00p 3.95%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 931.80p 3.67%
Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 761.20p 3.40%
Glencore (GLEN) 259.75p 2.99%
Standard Chartered (STAN) 738.20p 2.78%
BHP Group (BHP) 1,761.60p 2.25%
Aviva (AV.) 430.60p 2.04%
Carnival (CCL) 3,244.00p 1.82%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
AstraZeneca (AZN) 7,342.00p -1.87%
Rentokil Initial (RTO) 438.60p -1.84%
Aveva Group (AVV) 4,179.00p -1.81%
Experian (EXPN) 2,376.00p -1.78%
Hiscox Limited (DI) (HSX) 1,415.01p -1.74%
BAE Systems (BA.) 572.88p -1.63%
Polymetal International (POLY) 1,251.00p -1.57%
United Utilities Group (UU.) 852.20p -1.41%
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,729.80p -1.38%
Fresnillo (FRES) 713.80p -1.03%