FTSE 100 movers: Travis Perkins gains on UK housing data

1st Jul 2013 13:07

Builders' merchant Travis Perkins Group rose to the top of the FTSE 100 as data revealed a jump in UK house prices and mortgage approvals, signalling an improvement in the housing sector. Tullow Oil gained ahead of a trading update on Wednesday as Nomura upgraded the company's stock from 'reduce' to 'neutral'.Sage Group, which supplies business management software, advanced after Espirito Santo Investment Bank Research reiterated a 'buy' rating and raised its target price from 355p to 400p.In contrast, education and publishing firm Pearson retreated as the company announced the completion of its joint venture with Bertelsmann to create Penguin Random House. On Friday the company was forced to deny reports Rupert Murdoch and Abu Dhabi's state media group were in talks to acquire the Financial Times Group for $1.2bn.Tate & Lyle retreated following reports a European trade deal could affect jobs at the supplier of ingredients to the food and beverage industry's Thames Refinery, the last working factory on the river.Morrison Supermarkets fell as half year results from its online partner Ocado showed £2.4m of losses after notching up £400,000 in underlying profits a year earlier. Ocado is helping Morrison launch its shopping website.Miners are also doing well as commodity prices bounce back, with copper futures now higher by 2.65% at $313.85/lb.. Over the weekend strategists at JP Morgan made a bullish call on commodities, telling clients that "in a number of commodities, prices have fallen far enough for long enough to force involuntary cuts in production and to spur fresh demand." Even so, they also point out that "Downside returns risk remains high, especially in metals." FTSE 100 - RisersTravis Perkins (TPK) 1,523.00p +4.60%Tullow Oil (TLW) 1,039.00p +3.80%Sage Group (SGE) 352.10p +3.50%Standard Life (SL.) 357.10p +3.30%Persimmon (PSN) 1,220.00p +3.30%Eurasian Natural Resources Corp. (ENRC) 210.50p +3.19%Kingfisher (KGF) 352.40p +2.74%Fresnillo (FRES) 906.00p +2.72%Melrose Industries (MRO) 256.00p +2.69%BAE Systems (BA.) 393.10p +2.64%FTSE 100 - FallersPearson (PSON) 1,151.00p -1.71%Tate & Lyle (TATE) 814.50p -1.21%Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 259.30p -0.95%G4S (GFS) 229.00p -0.61%Tesco (TSCO) 329.45p -0.59%Admiral Group (ADM) 1,323.00p -0.30%Unilever (ULVR) 2,655.00p -0.26%United Utilities Group (UU.) 683.50p -0.07%SSE (SSE) 1,523.00p 0.00%Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 2,100.50p +0.02%RD