Equities markets in London were mixed on Monday.

The FTSE 100 was 0.15 percent lower to 6,206.1, while the FTSE 250 gained 0.79 percent to 11,071.7.

Miners saw significant gains on the day.

BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; ASX: BHP; NYSE: BHP) gained 3.09 percent to £14.03, while Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) added 3.68 percent to £34.51, Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) was 4.15 percent higher to 702p, and Vedanta Resources (LSE: VED) was up 5.5 percent to £17.07.

The best performer on the 100 came in the chemicals sector, where Imperial Chemical Industries (LSE: ICI; NYSE: ICI) added 7.19 percent to 618.5p.

The biggest loser on the 100 was in the financial services sector, where Man Group (LSE: EMG) fell 2.75 percent to 547.5p.

Other decliners included Imperial Tobacco Group (LSE: IMT), which dropped 2.02 percent to £21.37.

Prudential (LSE: PRU; NYSE: PUK) dropped 2.11 percent to 650p, while electric power transmitter National Grid (LSE: NG) was 2.14 percent lower to 686p.

Manufacturer FKI (LSE: FKI) had the best day on the 250, adding 9.16 percent to 110.25p, while JKX Oil & Gas (LSE: JKX) gained 8.61 percent to 346p.

The worst performer on the 250 was property investment group Capital & Regional (LSE: CPP), which fell 4.12 percent to 907p.

London’s markets were lower on the dayFriday, but not nearly as steeply as they were on Thursday.

The FTSE 100 fell 0.58 percent to 6,215.2, while the FTSE 250 was down 0.44 percent to 10.984.5.

Miners posted the worst performances on both the 100 and the 250 as Anglo American (LSE: AAL) dropped 3.86 percent to £27.43 on the 100 and Aquarius Platinum (LSE: AQP; ASX: AQP) fell 7.37 percent to £13.58.

Also in the sector, Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) was down 3.43 percent to 675p, while Vedanta Resources (LSE: VED) was 3.68 percent lower to £16.22.

Online property search group Rightmove (LSE: RMV) also saw declines, dropping 6.09 percent to 547.5p, while human resources group STHREE (LSE: STHR) was 5.75 percent lower to 410.5p.

Caterer Compass Group (LSE: CPG) fell 2.81 percent to 311p.

Chemicals group Reckitt Benckiser (LSE: RB) had the best day on the 100 as it gained 3.19 percent to £26.84.

Publisher Emap (LSE: EMA) was the best performer on the 250, where it added 12.7 percent to 860.5p.

Another publishers, Johnston Press (LSE: JPR) was 4.69 percent higher to 385p.

Retailers also had gains on the 250.

GAME Group (LSE: EBQ) added 4.77 percent to 186.75p, while home shopping retailer Findel (LSE: FADV) gained 4.83 percent to 683.5p.

In the banking sector, Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) was up 3.12 percent to 793.5p.

Electric power transmitter National Grid (LSE: NG) and airplane engine maker Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR) each added 2.47 percent, to 704p and 508.5p respectively.

Equities markets were lower in London on Wednesday.

The FTSE 100 dropped 0.68 percent to 6,454.3, while the FTSE 250 was down 1.46 percent to 11,415.2.

Pharmaceutical group GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK; NYSE: GSK) topped the 100, adding 2.33 percent to £12.75 on an unexpected increase in second quarter profits based on greater demand for its Advair asthma treatment.

GSK also announced an expansion of its share buy-back program.

Meanwhile on the 250, electronics and engineering group Renishaw (LSE: RSW), which makes gauges and meters, was the top performer with a gain of 14.33 percent to 684p/

Other gainers on the day included the banking sector.

On the 100, Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) added 1.87 percent to 817p, while on the 250 Bradford & Bingley (LSE: BB) gained 0.97 percent to 416.75p and Close Brothers Group (LSE: CBG) was up 1.93 percent to 845p.

Defense aerospace group BAE Systems (LSE: BA; OTCBB: BAESY) was 1.63 percent higher to 435.25p.

On the losing side, British Energy had the worst day on the 100, dropping 5.21 percent to 483.5p on a broker downgrade.

The worst performer on the 250 came from the semiconductors sector, where CSR (LSE: CSR) fell 11.28 percent to 770.5p.

The mining sector declined on copper prices that were lower.

Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) was 2.47 percent lower to 723p, while Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) was down 3.65 percent to £35.90.

On the 250, property developer Daejan Holdings (LSE: DJAN) fell 5.75 percent to £38.86, while builder Severfield-Rowen (LSE: SFR) dropped 5.69 percent to £22.36.

The London markets did not decline as much as the continental European markets did on Friday, but they were down as well.

The FTSE 100 fell 0.83 percent to 6,585.2, while the FTSE 250 dropped 0.51 percent to 11,819.4.

Gainers on the day included insurer Friends Provident, which had the best day on the 100 as it added 4.25 percent to 186.4p.

On the 250, consumer goods group SSL International (LSE: SSL) did the best, gaining 3.99 percent to 469.25p.

Other advances on the day included aerospace and defense group BAE Systems (LSE: BA; OTCBB: BAESY), which was up 1.6 percent to 428p.

Imperial Tobacco (LSE: IMT) was 1.11 percent higher to £22.78, while British Energy (LSE: BGY) gained 0.86 percent to 527.5p.

Off of the major indices, software company iSoft (LSE: IOT) added 19 percent to 65.5p after it received a bid from German computer information systems group CompuGroup (FWB: COP).

Miners were mixed on the session, with Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) up 1.45 percent to 736p but Lonmin (LSE: LMI) was 2.72 percent lower to £36.85.

The biggest loser on the day on the 100 was Cable and Wireless (LSE: CW), which fell 3.6 percent to 182p on shareholder protests over executive pay.

British Airways (LSE: BAY; NYSE: BAB), meanwhile, dropped 2.83 percent to 420p on reports that the current stringent airport security measures could remain in place for the foreseeable future.

Asset management group Bluebay (LSE: BBAY) was the worst performer on the 250 as it dropped 4.91 percent to 430.75p.

Auto insurer Admiral Group (LSE: ADM) was 4.85 percent lower to 819p, while internet gamer PartyGaming (LSE: PRTY) fell 4.58 percent to 31.25p.

In London, the FTSE 100 added 1.11 percent to 6,640.2, while the FTSE 250 gained 1.32 percent to 11,880.2.

Miner Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) was the best performer on the 100, where it was 5.37 percent higher to 725.5p.

The sector was mixed, however.

While Vedanta Resources (LSE: VED) was also higher, adding 4.22 percent to £18.04, Aquarius Platinum (LSE: AQP; ASX: AQP; JSE: AQP) was had the worst day on the 250, falling 3.41 percent to £16.15.

Property investment company Shaftsbury (LSE: SHB) did the best on the session on the 250, adding 9.16 percent to 608p. In the same sector, Minerva (LSE: MNR) gained 6.71 percent to 330p.

Back on the 100, aerospace and defense group BAE Systems (LSE: BA; OTCBB: BASEY) was 4.79 percent higher to 421.25p on the news that its proposed acquisition of Armor Holdings (NYSE: AH), which makes military and law enforcement equipment, has been approved by US antitrust authorities.

Insurer Old Mutual (LSE: OML; JSE: OLOML) was 4.58 percent higher to 175.9p on the news that Nedbank (JSE: NED), a South African bank in which it holds the majority stake, is in talks with Standard Chartered concerning a takeover.

Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN; SEHK: 2888) was lower on the report, dropping 0.77 percent to £16.71.

Pubs operators were lower on the session after Mitchells and Butlers (LSE: MAB) had the worst day on the 100, dropping 3.25 percent to 863p after a broker downgrade from “hold” to “sell” and the setting of a target share price at 790p on a report of a possible property deal.

In the same sector, JD Wetherspoon (LSE: JDW) fell 1.29 percent to 611p.

British Energy (LSE: BGY) was 1.23 percent lower to 523p after its chairman said that the power generator’s nuclear power output last year was “disappointing”.

London equities markets were up on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 added 1.25 percent to 6,697.7 and the FTSE 250 gained 1.22 percent to 11,809.

Most miners were higher on the session, but the sector managed to provide both the biggest winner and the worst performer on the 100.

Vedanta Resources (LSE: VED) added 6.45 percent to £18.00, while Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) was 4.58 percent lower to £38.10.

Rio Tinto’s decline came after it put in a bid for Canadian aluminium producer Alcan (TSX: AL; NYSE: AL) and after Standard & Poor‘s announced that it would take a look at Rio Tinto‘s credit rating if the deal was completed.

Elsewhere in the sector, Xstrata (LSE: XTA) was 4.67 percent higher to £34.27 and Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) added 6.39 percent to 715.5p.

The best performance on the 250 came from oil refiner Hunting (LSE: HTG), which gained 8.01 percent to 842.5p.

Other gainers on the 100 included British Airways (LSE: BAY; NYSE: BAB), which was 5.26 percent higher to 440.5p.

Hedge fund Man Group (LSE: EMG) added 4.05 percent to 616.5. Public transport company Arriva (LSE: ARI) was the worst performer on the 250 as it dropped 4.09 percent to 751p.

Other decliners on the 100 included Whitbread (LSE: WTB); the leisure services group fell 2.47 percent to £18.98.

Property developer Hammerson (LSE: HMSO) was 0.88 percent lower to £13.55.

In London on Monday the FTSE 100 added 0.34 percent to 6,712.7, while the FTSE 250 dropped 0.16 percent to 11,847.8.

Most of the gains on the session were produced by the mining sector, which saw advances as copper prices remained strong and after JPMorgan (NYSE: JPM; TYO: 8634) raised target share prices for several of the miners.

BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; ASX: BHP; NYSE: BHP) gained 1.78 percent to £15.43, while Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) was 2.71 percent higher to 681.5p.

Xstrata (LSE: XTA) added 2.88 percent to £33.60 and Kazakhmys (LSE: KAZ) was up 4.21 percent to £13.60.

Other gainers included food processor Tate & Lyle (LSE: TATE) which added 4.69 percent to 580p for the best performance on the 100.

Housebuilders put in the worst performances of the session on both the 100 and the 250.

Persimmon (LSE: PSN) dropped 4.12 on the 250 to £11.64, while on the 100 Bovis Homes fell 10.86 percent to 820.5p.

Other decliners in the sector included Redrow (LSE: RDW), which was 5.36 percent lower on the 250 to 512p and Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV), which was down 2.32 percent to 991.5p on the 100.

The declines in the sector were blamed on caution in the face of higher interest rates.

The London markets were higher on Friday, with the FTSE 100 0.83 percent higher to 6,690.1.

The FTSE 250 added 0.55 percent to 11,867.3.

The oil sector was higher on short supplies and continuing worries about the situation in Nigeria.

BP (LSE: BP; NYSE: BP; TYO: 5051) was 1.08 percent higher to 610p, while BG Group (LSE: BG; NYSE: BG) added 1.97 percent to 829p.

Royal Dutch Shell’s (LSE: RDSA, RDSB; NYSE: RDS A, RDS B) A shares gained 2.87 percent to £21.15 after it said that it will begin once again to drill in the Arctic.

Miners also saw gains. Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) added 2.63 percent to 663.5p, while Xstrata (LSE: XTA) was 3.03 percent higher to £32.66 and Vedanta Resources (LSE: VED) gained 3.15 percent to £17.01.

BHP Billiton (LSE:BLT; ASX: BHP; NYSE: BHP) had the best day on the 100, adding 3.69 percent to £15.16.

Gainers on the 250 included kitchen equipment manufacturer Aga Foodservice (LSE: AGA), which was 7 percent higher to 412.5p after it said it is thinking about selling its commercial division.

Decliners on the 100 included Intercontinental Hotels (LSE: IHG; NYSE: IHG), which was down 1.37 percent to £12.98.

In the business services sector, Experian (LSE: EXPN) dropped 1.58 percent to 623.5p for the worst performance of the day on the 100.

In London on Tuesday the FTSE 100 was 0.75 percent higher to 6,639.8, while the FTSE 250 added 1.85 percent on the session to close at 11,747.6.

Punch Taverns was the best performer on the 100, adding 3.44 percent to £12.62, helped by the even bigger rise on the 250 of fellow pubs operator and brewer Greene King (LSE: GNK), which gained 7.92 percent to £10.36.

Greene King said that the new ban on indoor smoking in public places in the UK had not hurt it, as around 95 percent of its pubs have outdoor smoking areas.

It also said that it is focusing on food service in an effort to bring in more female customers and families, and that it is looking at splitting 870 of its 1,400 pubs into separate operating and property companies in order to bring more value from its properties.

Enterprise Inns (LSE: ETI) also felt the benefit of Greene King’s gains, adding 2 percent on the session, to 687p.

Elsewhere, some miners saw gains again. Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) gained 2.87 percent to 646p, while Lonmin (LSE: LMI) was up 3.13 percent to £43.10.

Energy related companies, however, did not do as well. Oil and natural gas producerr BG Group (LSE: BG; NYSE: BG) dropped 0.9 percent to 824p, while utility Kelda Group (LSE: KEL) was 1.31 percent lower to 943p. Electricity generator British Energy (LSE: BGY) had the worst day on the 100, dropping 1.4 percent to 527p.

In London on Thursday, the FTSE 100 added 1.16 percent to 6,227.7, largely on the strength of gains in the mining sector. The FTSE 250 was also higher, gaining 1.6 percent to 11,363.8.

Among miners, Xstrata (LSE: XTA) added 0.4 percent to £24.69 after rumors surfaced that it was thinking about bidding on Canadian nickel miner Lionore Mining (LSE, Toronto Stock Exchange: LIM), which gained 2.7 percent to 750p. Lionore is up nearly 133 percent since October of last year.

Elsewhere in the sector, Vedanta Resources (LSE: VED) and Kazakhmys (LSE: KAZ) were each 2.9 percent higher, to £12.49 and £11.24 respectively. Kazakhmys just purchased Dostan-Temir as its first move into the oil sector. Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) gained 3.1 percent to 476p on rumors that a special dividend of 40 cents US per share might be announced next Tuesday when it reveals its full-year results.

In the banking sector, Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN; SEHK: 2888) added 2.2 percent to £14.30 on broker comments that low share prices meant a good opportunity to buy as well as the news that Singapore’s state investment company, Temasek, had increased its holding in the bank to 12 percent.

Music retailer HMV (LSE: HMV) was up 3.9 percent to 146p ahead of a strategy presentation scheduled for next Tuesday. Pali International initiated coverage with a “buy” recommendation.

First Choice Holidays (LSE: FCD) added 1.2 percent to 268¾p on rumors that private equity might be interested in making a bid.