This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29893916

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
FTSE 100 boosted by company earnings Oil price fall hits energy stocks
(about 3 hours later)
(Open): Shares in London rose in early trade as investors welcomed results from several major companies. (Noon): The London market had a mixed morning, with the FTSE 100 rising, then falling and then recovering to stand up 3.69 points at 6,491.66.
The benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 16.10 points at 6,504.07 Oil shares came under pressure as the price of crude fell. Tullow Oil fell 2.6%, and BP was down 1.8%.
Imperial Tobacco shares rose 2.25% after the cigarette firm reported a 5% increase in full-year operating profit to £2.06bn. Brent crude fell to a near four-year low of $82.08 a barrel, while US light crude hit a three-year low of $75.84.
Legal & General climbed 2.2% after reporting a 12% rise in net cash generation over the first nine months of the year. Imperial Tobacco rose 3.6% after it reported a 5% increase in full-year operating profit to £2.06bn.
Shares in Associated British Foods rose at first after the firm reported a rise in full-year profits, boosted by another strong performance from Primark. Legal & General climbed 2.3% after reporting a 12% rise in net cash generation over the first nine months of the year.
However, the shares then fell back to stand 0.5% lower. The company warned that its food business would be hit by lower prices of sugar and other commodities, and so it saw "limited opportunity" to grow adjusted earnings per share in the new financial year. Shares in Associated British Foods stood 2.5% higher after it reported full-year results that showed profits rising thanks to another strong performance from Primark.
Shares in oil companies fell after the price of oil continued to fall. Brent crude dropped $1.25 to $83.53 a barrel, while US light crude fell $1.15 to $77.63 a barrel having touched $77.20 at one point. However, the company also warned that its food business would be hit by lower prices of sugar and other commodities, and so it saw "limited opportunity" to grow adjusted earnings per share in the new financial year.
Tullow Oil fell 1.5%, and BP was down 1.2%. On the currency markets, the pound rose 0.17% against the dollar to $1.5999 but fell 0.09% against the euro to €1.2786.
On the currency markets, the pound rose 0.2% against the dollar to $1.6004 but fell 0.04% against the euro to €1.2793.