London’s markets were also higher on the session.

The FTSE 100 added 3.5 percent to 6,064.2, while the FTSE 250 was 2.14 percent higher to 10,686.2.

As on the continent, banks saw gains.

Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN; SEHK: 2888) was the best performer on the 100 as it added 8.03 percent to £15.60, while Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) was right behind with a gain of 7.66 percent to 709.5p.

Insurers were also higher, with Standard Life (LSE: SLET) up 7.01 percent to 305.5p.

Broker ICAP (LSE: IAP) was 6.48 percent higher to 484.5p.

Miners also saw gains.

Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) gained 1.8 percent to £29.82, while BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; NSYE; BHP; ASX: BHP) added 3.5 percent to £12.24 and Lonmin (LSE: LMI) was 6.52 percent higher to £29.74.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN; NYSE: AZN) was up 2.55 percent to £23.36 while GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK; NYSE: GSK) gained 3.33 percent to £12.71.

Oil and gas services group Petrofac (LSE: PFC) had the best day on the 250, where it added 7.72 percent to 418.5p, while the biggest loser there was asset manager Henderson Group (LSE: HGI; ASX: HGI) at a drop of 2.9 percent to 125.5p.

There were only two losers on the 100 on the session. Imperial Chemical Industries (LSE: ICI) dropped 0.16 percent to 616p, while retailer Tesco (LSE: TSCO) was down 0.12 percent to 403.5p.

Equities markets in London declined Wednesday as the FTSE 100 was 0.56 percent lower to 6,109.3 and the FTSE 250 dropped 0.99 percent to 10,889.3.

UK banks followed European banks lower.

HSBC (LSE: HSBA; NYSE: HBC; Euronext: HSBC; SEHK: 005) was down 2 percent to 883.5p, while Royal Bank of Scotland (LSE: RBS; NYSE: RBS PRM) fell 2.2 percent to 561p after it said it won’t reduce its bid, in consortium with other banks, for ABN Amro (Euronext: AAB; NYSE: ABN) to reflect ABN’s lower value after a dividend payout.

Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN; SEHK: 2888) was 2.25 percent lower to £15.62, while Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) had the worst day on the 100 as it dropped 5.3 percent to 687.5p after it said it could miss its profits forecast.

Miners were lower as well after copper prices fell 1.2 percent in London to $7,329 per tonne.

BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; NYSE: BHP; ASX: BHP) was down 1.7 percent to £12.76, while Anglo American (LSE: AAL) was 1.9 percent lower to £27.25.

Housebuilders and property investors had a better day.

Persimmon (LSE: PSN) was the best performer on the 100 with a gain of 3.88 percent to £12.58, while Berkeley Group Holdings (LSE: BKG) topped the 250 as it added 4.67 percent to £16.14.

Bovis Homes (LSE: BVS) was up 4.07 percent to 805p, while Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV) was 2.77 percent higher to 945p and Hammerson gained 2.14 percent to £12.40.

On the other hand, property investors Quintain Estates & Development (LSE: QED) had the worst day on the 250 as it dropped 9.62 percent to 817p.

Markets in London were lower as well, with the FTSE 100 down 1.21 percent to 6,143.5 and the FTSE 250 at 10,998.6, a decline of 1.52 percent.

Food retailer Wm Morrison (LSE: MRW) was 2.8 percent lower to 258.5p after it removed sliced cold meats from two stores in Scotland after an outbreak of E. coli that resulted in one death.

Miners were mixed on the day.

Lonmin (LSE: LMI) led gainers on the 100 as it added 1.7 percent to £31.14, but Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) fell 1.4 percent to £31.75 and BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; NYSE: BHP; ASX: BHP) was 3.71 percent lower to £12.98.

The worst performance on the 100 came from publisher Yell Group (LSE: YELL), which was down 3.81 percent to 454.4p.

Beverage can maker Rexam (LSE: REX) dropped 3.54 percent to 504.5p, while chemicals group Johnson Matthey fell 3.73 percent to £16.27.

Two other individuals were reported to be in hospital.

Decliners on the 250 included property developer Daejan Holdings (LSE: DJAN), which was down 5.56 percent to £34.00.

Construction firm Kier Group (LSE: KIE) had the worst day on the 250, with a decline of 6.15 percent to £18.76.

British Airways was 0.5 percent higher on the 100 to 403p.

Human resources specialist Capita Group (LSE: CPI) added 0.75 percent to 739p, while in the telecommunications sector BT Group (LSE: BT.A; NYSE: BT) gained 0.81 percent to 310.5p.

Brewer Scottish & Newcastle (LSE: SCTN) was 1.31 percent higher to 580p on the possibility that it could be acquired by Danish brewer Carlsberg (OMX: CARL A, CARL B), which has been reported to have said it is in the market to purchase another beer maker.

Neither Carlsberg nor Scottish & Newcastle would comment on the reports.

In London on Monday, the FTSE 100 was 0.57 percent lower to 6,189.1 and the FTSE 250 fell 1.67 percent to 10,998.8.

Standard Life (LSE: SLET) was the biggest gainer on the 100, adding 3.03 percent to 315p on consolidation hopes within the sector.

Builder Alfred McAlpine (LSE: MCA) did the best on the 250 with a gain of 4.7 percent to 484.5p.

Other gainers on the session included the house building sector, where Persimmon (LSE: PSN) was up 1.93 percent to £11.64 and Taylor Wimpey (LSE: TW) added 2.18 percent to 339.75p.

British American Tobacco (LSE: BATS; AMEX: BTI; KLSE: BAT) was 2.4 percent higher to £16.12, while music retailer HMV Group (LSE: HMV) gained 4.7 percent to 118.25p.

The biggest loser on the day on the 100 was platinum miner Lonmin (LSE: LMI), which fell 4.81 percent to £30.85.

Aquarius Platinum (LSE: LSE: AQP; ASX:AQP; JSE:AQP) did even worse on the 250, dropping 5.56 percent to £12.90.

Elsewhere in the mining sector BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; NYSE: BHP; ASX: BHP) dropped 2.98 percent to £13.33, while Kazakhmys (LSE: KAZ) fell 2.93 percent to £11.94, Anglo American (LSE: AAL) was 2.68 percent lower to £26.85 and Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) was down 1.33 percent to £32.19.

Investment trust Ashmore (LSE: ASHM) did the worst on the 250, falling 8 percent to 204p.

Other decliners on the session included supermarket chain Wm Morrison (LSE: MRW), which dropped 3.6 percent to 274.25p.

Pubs operator Punch Taverns (LSE: PUB) fell 3.36 percent to £10.36 and investment management group INVESCO (LSE: AVZ; NYSE: IVZ) was 3.15 percent lower to 585p on its exposure to the US housing sector.

London’s equities markets were lower Wednesday.

The FTSE 100 dropped 1.72 percent to 6,250.6, while the FTSE 250 fell 1.26 percent to 11,194.9.

Cadbury Schweppes (LSE: CBRY; NYSE: CSG), with a decline of 8.23 percent to 569p, was the worst performer on the 100 after it
said that profitability was down in the first half due to higher dairy prices.

British Airways (LSE: BAY; NYSE: BAB) was down 2.89 percent to 386.25p after it was fined nearly £270 million for price fixing activities in relation to fuel surcharges.

Miners were substantially lower. Lonmin (LSE: LMI) fell 3.65 percent to £33.76, while Xstrata (LSE: XTA) was 3.88 percent lower to £30.74, BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; NYSE: BHP; ASX: BHP) dropped 4.41 percent to £14.08 and Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) was down 4.46 percent to £34.45.

There were gains on the day.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, Shire (LSE: SHP; NAS: SHPGY) added 1.56 percent to £12.37, while chemicals group Imperial Chemical Industries (LSE: ICI) gained 0.56 percent to 627.5p on reports that Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW; TYO: 4850) is interested in making a bid to rival that of Akzo Nobel (Euronext: AKZ; NAS: AKZOY).

Over on the 250, construction group John Wood Group (LSE: WG.) was the best performer, adding 4.61 percent to 340.5p.

Meanwhile, business services provider Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group (LSE: JLT) was the biggest loser of the session as it dropped 11.48 percent to 374p.

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.

In London on Friday the FTSE 100 was 0.28 percent higher to 6,716.7 and the FTSE 250 gained 0.96 percent to 11,922.9.

Miners declined after Thursday’s gains, with Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) seeing the biggest loss of the day on the 100, dropping 2.1 percent to £37.30.

Elsewhere in the sector, BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; ASX: BHP; NYSE: BHP) was 1.74 percent lower to £15.27 and Lonmin (LSE: LMI) fell 0.66 percent to £42.78.

Financial services-related shares did better.

Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN; SEHK: 2888) had the best day on the 100 as it added 2.92 percent to £16.90, while asset manager Henderson Group (LSE: HGI; ASX: HGI) gained 7.95 percent to 176.5p on the 250 for the best performance of the day there.

Hedge fund manager Man Group (LSE: EMG) was 2.76 percent higher to 633.5p.

Another asset manager, Bluebay (LSE: BBAX), however, had the poorest performance of the day on the 250 as it dropped 3.35 percent to 455p.

Other gainers on the day included business services group Experian (LSE: EXPN), which was 2.27 percent higher to 630p.

Chemicals group Johnson Matthey (LSE: JMAT) added 2.7 percent to £18.28, while in the oil sector BG Group gained 2.2 percent to 877.5p.

Decliners on the 100 included engineers Smiths Group (LSE: SMIN), which dropped 1.23 percent to £11.28 and Home Retail (LSE: HOME), down 1.37 percent to 450.25p.

Equities markets in London saw declines on Tuesday.

The FTSE 100 dropped 1.14 percent to 6,636.4, while the FTSE 250 was 1.08 percent lower to 11,732.1.

Miners were lower after rumors circulated that BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; ASX: BHP; NYSE: BHP) might be interested in bidding for US aluminium producer Alcoa (NYSE: AA).

BHP Billiton was the worst performer on the 100 on the day, dropping 3.89 percent to £14.83.

Elsewhere in the sector, Xstrata (LSE: XTA) dropped 3.33 percent to £32.48, while Anglo American (LSE: AAL) fell 3.61 percent to £32.04 and Lonmin was 3.64 percent lower to £41.54.

The best performance on the day on the 100 came from property developer Land Securities (LSE: LAND), which added 4.8 percent to £18.35.

Public transport group Arriva (LSE: ARI) had the best day on the 250 as it gained 7.92 percent to 770p after it was revealed that it had been awarded the UK Cross Country rail franchise.

There were also gains in the retail sector.

J Sainsbury (LSE: SBRY) was 1.05 percent higher to 577.5p, while Marks & Spencer (LSE: MKS) was up 1.26 percent to 640.5p on a trading update that was not as bad as had been anticipated.

In the same sector on the 250, WH Smith (LSE: SMWH) added 2.04 percent to 411.75p.

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.