London midday: London on a Sky high

29th Apr 2010 12:14

Traders are too busy digesting a full schedule of corporate announcements to worry about sovereign debt issues, as the Footsie makes another attempt at clawing back some of the heavy losses sustained on Monday.Pay TV and Internet service provider British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) is the top performer among blue-chips after it saw subscriber numbers improve by a better than expected 62,000 in the first three months of 2010, with average revenue per user up 11%. Investors are also stocking up on Unilever. Volume growth at the Anglo-Dutch household products giant came in ahead of market expectations in the first quarter of 2010, with the company boasting of strong momentum across all geographic regions. Underlying volumes growth was 7.6%, versus market expectations of 5.4%.The third best performer in the FTSE 100 is also a company that has issued a trading update today: Standard Life. The insurer said it had made a strong start to the year with strong growth in net flows and assets in the first quarter. Net inflows across the group more than tripled to £2.1bn in the first quarter of 2010 from £0.6bn a year earlier after taking into account the discontinued banking operations.AstraZeneca has upped its profit target for the full year after strong growth from key drugs and emerging markets helped the drug giant post a sharp rise in earnings in the first quarter.Elsewhere in the pharmaceuticals sector Shire said first quarter products sales were down 5% from a year earlier at $718m but the performance of core products was better, with sales advancing 36% to $626m.BG Group moves ahead after it reported first quarter figures that beat market expectations as the oil titan benefitted from a rise in production and stronger oil and gas prices. Revenue and other operating income increased 4% to $4,647m, reflecting a 6% increase in E&P production volumes and higher oil and liquids prices.Elsewhere in resources, copper miner Kazakhmys achieved output of 78.4kt copper cathode equivalent in the first three months of 2010, an increase on the previous quarter, and is on track to hit its annual target. Property group Hammerson is wanted after it saw an increase in demand for office space in the first quarter but occupancy rates at its retail assets in the UK and France were marginally lower.A fourth quarter pick-up in trading enabled underlying profits at hotel to coffee shop group Whitbread to come in near the top of market forecasts. Underlying profits before tax increased by 6.6% to £239.1m in the year to February, from £224m. The shares are slightly weaker though.In the FTSE 250, Music retailer HMV has fallen back after it reported a sharp decline in fourth quarter like for like sales but said it was on track to meet full year forecasts. HMV UK & Ireland total sales fell 8.2% in the 16 weeks ended 24 April 2010, with like for like sales down 13.2%. Fellow computer game retailer Game declines in symnpathy.BBA Aviation is also on the descent after the aviation services provider said group revenue was flat, thought it did issue an upbeat assessment for the rest of the year.Taylor Wimpey, which has lifted selling prices of homes in the UK by 9% since January as the housing market continues to recover, is higher. The housebuilder adds that UK market conditions remain "encouraging, with continued gradual improvements in mortgage availability and buyer confidence".Personal care products group McBride announced that overall trading for the four months to 28 April has been in line with expectations. Group revenues in the four month period rose by 2% from the same time a year before on a reported and constant currency basis.Bookmaker William Hill reports a decent start to the year with progress at its online operation offsetting a tougher time for its betting shops. Net revenue for the 13 weeks to March increased by 1% with pre-exceptional operating profit up by 3% reflecting the strong online performance.Bus and train firm Go-Ahead said overall trading in the third quarter was in line with company expectations while its full year outlook remains unchanged.Joinery company Galiform said it has performed well after a slow start to the year due to the prolonged cold weather.Hays said current trading is still in line with the comments made when it last updated the market in early April.The recruiter said at the time that is has continued to see progress in most of its markets, although the dynamics vary by region.Home Services USA, the US subsidiary of Homeserve, the home maintenance firm, has signed a five year contract with the Southern California Gas company to jointly market the company's home emergency services.Trading systems developer Fidessa Group has continued to make progress in 2010 against a background of improving financial markets. Nevertheless the company reiterated its previous observation that consolidation and restructuring within Fidessa's customer base will temper growth rates this year.FTSE 100 - RisersBritish Sky Broadcasting Group (BSY) 623.50p +4.61%Unilever (ULVR) 1,989.00p +3.81%Standard Life (SL.) 199.60p +3.15%InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 1,104.00p +3.08%Cairn Energy (CNE) 405.90p +2.89%Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 1,154.00p +2.76%Legal & General Group (LGEN) 86.25p +2.62%Eurasian Natural Resources (ENRC) 1,232.00p +2.58%Kazakhmys (KAZ) 1,414.00p +2.54%WPP Group (WPP) 690.00p +2.53%FTSE 100 - FallersBP (BP.) 616.00p -1.44%Home Retail Group (HOME) 273.30p -1.37%Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 66.37p -1.19%British American Tobacco (BATS) 2,086.00p -1.02%Whitbread (WTB) 1,568.00p -0.95%Imperial Tobacco Group (IMT) 1,928.00p -0.87%Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 2,027.50p -0.81%3i Group (III) 267.80p -0.81%National Grid (NG.) 629.00p -0.63%Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 1,959.00p -0.53%