London open: FTSE 100 gives up gains, Michael Page slumps

15th Aug 2011 08:28

It could be another volatile day as stocks have already given up most of their gains. Miners are posting good gains but recruiter Michael Page slumps after its half year results.Kazakh copper miner Kazakhmys is the top riser in the FTSE 100. Prices for the red metal have been rising on the London Metal Exchange. In company news, international recruitment firm Michael Page is sharply lower. It made a flying start to 2011 but said profit growth in the banking sector has tailed off in the second half of the year. Profit tax before non-recurring items jumped 37.9% to £45.5m from £33.0m the year before. Peer Hays is lower in sympathy.Precision instrumentation and controls company Spectris is in demand after saying is to acquire Omega, a privately held US business providing measurement and control instrumentation services to industrial and academic customers, for $475m (£290m). Chief executive John O' Higgins also said that Spectris's trading has been in line with expectations since 15 July. Oil services group Hunting has also acquired a measurement-type company, snapping up US specialist precision machining services group Dearborn Precision Tubular Products for $83.5m (£51.1m).After just three months outsourcing and energy services firm MITIE had secured 85% if its budgeted revenues for the financial year, as at the end of June. The order book is at record levels and the pipeline of opportunities remains good, the company said.FTSE 100 - RisersKazakhmys (KAZ) 1,035.00p +1.97%John Wood Group (WG.) 568.50p +1.70%BP (BP.) 411.45p +1.63%Essar Energy (ESSR) 304.80p +1.36%Inmarsat (ISAT) 446.30p +1.20%BHP Billiton (BLT) 2,041.50p +1.16%Amec (AMEC) 916.00p +1.16%Unilever (ULVR) 2,027.00p +1.15%SABMiller (SAB) 2,113.50p +1.12%Rio Tinto (RIO) 3,728.00p +1.07%FTSE 100 - FallersAggreko (AGK) 1,844.00p -1.86%Schroders (Non-Voting) (SDRC) 1,201.00p -1.48%Sage Group (SGE) 254.40p -1.17%Serco Group (SRP) 521.00p -0.95%Tate & Lyle (TATE) 582.50p -0.94%Intertek Group (ITRK) 1,882.00p -0.90%British Land Co (BLND) 556.50p -0.89%Diageo (DGE) 1,168.00p -0.85%Schroders (SDR) 1,472.00p -0.81%Land Securities Group (LAND) 797.00p -0.75%FTSE 250 - RisersKenmare Resources (KMR) 47.80p +7.58%Enterprise Inns (ETI) 41.54p +6.40%Talvivaara Mining Company (TALV) 359.70p +5.18%New World Resources A Shares (NWR) 584.50p +4.94%Dixons Retail (DXNS) 13.65p +4.84%JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 916.50p +4.15%Spectris (SXS) 1,403.00p +4.00%Mitie Group (MTO) 225.10p +3.59%Afren (AFR) 114.70p +3.52%Sports Direct International (SPD) 218.70p +3.45%FTSE 250 - FallersMichael Page International (MPI) 343.30p -14.26%Spirit Pub Company (SPRT) 45.73p -1.99%SThree (STHR) 270.80p -1.74%Keller Group (KLR) 387.90p -1.72%Hays (HAS) 75.90p -1.43%Ashtead Group (AHT) 116.90p -1.35%Shaftesbury (SHB) 486.90p -1.24%Morgan Crucible Co (MGCR) 283.00p -1.15%Lamprell (LAM) 329.70p -0.99%London & Stamford Property Ltd. (LSP) 121.50p -0.98%