FTSE 100 movers: Miners buoyed by China talk

24th Dec 2009 11:13

Miners continue to drive Footsie higher, with silver miner Fresnillo leading the sector higher today. Reports yesterday quoted Chinese sources as saying that it could start to increase its imports of commodities for its strategic reserves at an "appropriate" time. This was taken as a signal China would start buying again in the New Year. Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Xstrata are all up with Fresnillo.News that Bob Diamond, Barclays' President and head of its investment bank, had sold £5m worth of shares in the bank has unsettled the price today. It is Diamond's first sale since he joined in 1996.FTSE 100 - RisersFresnillo (FRES) 786.00p +5.08%Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 29.33p +3.24%Tesco (TSCO) 429.45p +2.79%Tullow Oil (TLW) 1,293.00p +1.89%Rio Tinto (RIO) 3,346.50p +1.53%Old Mutual (OML) 108.10p +1.50%British Airways (BAY) 190.70p +1.33%BG Group (BG.) 1,132.00p +1.25%BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,968.00p +1.18%Xstrata (XTA) 1,083.50p +1.12%FTSE 100 - FallersRSA Insurance Group (RSA) 118.80p -1.74%BT Group (BT.A) 135.70p -1.31%Land Securities Group (LAND) 639.00p -1.16%Barclays (BARC) 272.45p -1.11%British Land Co (BLND) 445.20p -1.07%Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 399.90p -0.87%SEGRO (SGRO) 332.00p -0.87%Hammerson (HMSO) 396.00p -0.78%Rolls-Royce Group (RR.) 481.00p -0.72%Burberry Group (BRBY) 582.50p -0.60%