London pre-open: FTSE expected to open around 30 points higher

19th Apr 2013 07:31

City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open up 30 points from yesterday's close of 6,244, ahead of what is expected to be a quieter day both in terms of company news and economic announcements. The rise is expected despite significant declines in the US last night, where equities fell on the back of less than impressive data. On today's international agenda is the EU balance of payments and the World Bank/IMF annual meeting. In today's UK company news, Anglo American, one of the world's largest mining firms, saw production increase year-on-year across most of its asset classes in the first quarter despite scaling back spending. Exploration and evaluation expenditure totalled $103m in the first three months of 2013, down 26% as a rise in exploration was offset by a sharp fall in evaluation spending.Euromoney, the online information and events group, has announced the acquisition of a 75% stake in the Centre for Investor Education (CIE). The business, which is based in Australia, is the country's leading provider of investment forums for senior executives of superannuation funds and global asset management firms. Euromoney has paid an initial £9.9m cash consideration, which will be adjusted up or down dependent on CIE's results for the year to December 2013. RPS has acquired Knowledge Reservoir Group Inc., a reservoir engineering and geosciences consulting firm, for a maximum consideration of $20m (£12.8m) in order to further develop the company's energy activities. The business operates primarily in the US, but undertakes projects in other parts of the world. Its activities will be merged with the international activities of RPS Energy. The cost of this integration will be incurred in 2013, reducing this year's contribution to group profit.