Equities markets in London saw big losses on Tuesday’s session.

The FTSE 100 fell 1.9 percent to 6,498.7, while the FTSE 250 dropped 1.68 percent to 11,584.

Retailers were lower after sporting good retailer Sports Direct (LSE: SPD) dropped 22.63 percent to 147p after it issued its second profits warning since it’s IPO in February, prompting negative broker comment.

Other retailers seeing declines included GAME Group (LSE: EBQ), which fell 6.86 percent to 193.5p.

Home Retail (LSE: HOME) was 3.28 percent lower to 427.25p, while clothing retailer Next (LSE: NXT) was down 2.66 percent to £18.67 and DIY retailer Kingfisher (LSE: KFG) dropped 2.25 percent to 217.5p.

Electric power generators were lower as well.

British Energy (LSE: BGY) had the worst day on the 100 as it fell 4.5 percent to 509p, while Drax Group (LSE: DRX) was 3.84 percent lower to 700.5p.

Miners were also lower, with Anglo American (LSE: AAL) down 3.81 percent to £31.33 and Lonmin (LSE: LMI) dropping 3.88 percent to £35.90.

Insurer Old Mutual was 3.93 percent lower to 168.7p after talk that South African bank Nedbank (JSE: NED), in which Old Mutual owns a majority stake, might be the target of a takeover.

There were gainers on the day.

Spread betting specialist IG Group Holdings (LSE: IGG) added 9.21 percent to 341p for the best performance of the day on the 250, while consumer products group Reckitt Benckiser (LSE: RB) had the best day on the 100 with a gain of 1.14 percent to £27.48 ahead of its quarterly report.

Other gainers included phone book publisher Yell Group (LSE: YELL), which added 0.69 percent to 472.5p on positive fiscal first quarter results.

Imperial Tobacco (LSE: IMT) gained 0.78 percent to £23.13.

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”.

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.

Both the FTSE 100 and the FTSE 250 saw gains on Tuesday. The 100 added 0.4 percent to 6,381.8, while the 200 was 0.2 percent higher to 11,475.7.

The 100 was helped by gains in the mining sector after metals prices were up and on rumors that both Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton are thinking about bidding for aluminium manufacturer Alcoa. Rio Tinto added 2.5 percent to £27.53, while Billiton was 2.6 percent higher, to £10.67.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, GlaxoSmithKline gained 2.1 percent to £14.91 on a repeated “buy” rating from Collins Stewart. GSK has 10 new products ready to hit the market this year, with 31 at Phase III trials or better.

The real estate sector was lower on profit-taking and on less than admirable results from British Land in their fiscal third quarter. British Land dropped 3.6 percent to £16.19, while Liberty International fell 2.7 percent to £12.90 and Slough Estates was 1.5 percent lower to 771p. Liberty is scheduled to release its results on Wednesday.

British Energy was 3.3 percent lower to 410p after it said that one of its nuclear power plants will be closed until April.

London markets were higher as well on Friday and for the full week, ending with a new six-year high for the FTSE 100 and another all-time high for the FTSE 250. The 100 was 0.5 percent higher on Friday and 1.1 percent higher on the week, closing at 6,382.8, while the 250 closed at 11,522.8, up 0.7 percent on the day and 1.6 percent higher over the week.

In the energy sector, British Energy dropped 0.1 percent to 418¾p on rumors that the UK government could divest itself of part of the energy company after it reports next Tuesday. Several banks were brought in last year to consult on such a sale, but problems with some of the company’s nuclear power generators put the idea on a back burner. The government has claim on nearly 65 percent of the energy company’s net cash flow that is convertible to an equal-sized equity stake at will.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, GlaxoSmithKline added 2 percent to £14.50 on an upgraded recommendation from Bear Sterns. Meanwhile, SR Pharma added 12.1 percent over the week to 74p. There were bid rumors, but most analysts attributed the gain to the news that Pfizer and Quark Biotech are beginning clinical development on a new product licensed from SR.

The London Stock Exchange held steady at £12.82 as the deadline for acceptance of Nasdaq’s offer by LSE shareholders approached.

Trade in the London equities markets was slow again on Tuesday, as only 2.6 billion shares changed hands on the session. Still, both the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 saw gains on the day. The 100 added just 0.03 percent to 6,242, while the 200 was 0.2 percent higher to 11,131.

The energy sector was mixed. Reports that it was having problems at two of its nuclear power stations sent British Energy 3.9 percent lower to 444p, amid further reports that it is being hurt by dropping wholesale prices for power. Bids rumors helped Scottish & Southern Energy to hold steady at £14.75, while Drax Group added 2.2 percent to 690½p as investors hoped for higher dividends.

J Sainsbury added 0.6 percent to 435p on rumors that a private equity house could be considering a bid. Numis Securities repeated its “buy” recommendation on the supermarket and said that the value of its properties could be an attraction.

In the food and beverages sector, Cadbury Schweppes added 1.4 percent to 576½p on multiple rumors that included the possibility of a bid from private equity and a spin off of its soft drinks unit.

Medical devices manufacturer Smith & Nephew was 1.8 percent higher to 577½p ahead of its full-year report, due next week. Analysts said that it was helped by good reports from US rivals Zimmer and Stryker.

Vodafone dropped 1.3 percent to 147p ahead of a trading update, due Wednesday.

The London equities markets were mixed on the last full trading day before Christmas, with the FTSE 100 0.2 percent lower to 6,183.7 but the FTSE 250 adding 0.2 percent to 11,066.4. Volume was light, with around 2 billion shares trading hands.

Miners were hurt by dropping copper prices. Vedanta Resources dropped 16p to £11.77. Antofagasta fell 2.2 percent to 496½p, while Rio Tinto was 2.5 percent lower to £26.65 and Kazakhmys dropped 3.7 percent to £10.89.

British Energy fell 3.3 percent to 520½p after it said on Wednesday that two of its nuclear power stations will not be back in service until March. Citigroup reduced its rating on the company to “sell” and assigned a target share price of 430p. Elsewhere in the energy sector, Burren Energy dropped 5 percent to 840p after investors worried that the death of the president of Turkmenistan will put its interests there in jeopardy. Burren currently produces about 18,000 barrels of oil per day from its field there.

Smith & Nephew added 3.4 percent to 537¼p, its highest share price in nine months, on rumors that the group of private equity buyers that recent purchased US rival Biomet were also interested in bidding for S&N.

In the leisure sector, cruise ship operator Carnival was up 2.9 percent to £25.36 on a fourth quarter report that rose above what had been expected.

Equities markets on London were higher on Tuesday, with the FTSE 100 adding 0.3 percent to 6,182.5 and the FTSE 250 finishing at a new high of 10,401.6, a gain of 0.4 percent on the session.

Retailers were higher. J Sainsbury added 1.2 percent to 396¾p after bids rumors surfaced late in the session, with private equity said to be interested. Marks & Spencer was helped by an increased target share price and increased earnings forecasts for both 2006 and 2007 from JP Morgan. M&S gained 1.3 percent to 656p.

In the leisure sector Whitbread, which owns Premier Travel Inns, added 4 percent to £14.05 on talk that it is ripe for offers after lower than predicted cash returns.

Miners were lower on the session, with BHP Billiton 0.6 percent lower to £10.14. Anglo American dropped 1.5 percent to £23.79 after the appointment of a new executive that was said to make Anglo more vulnerable to a bid.

British Energy was lower, as well, declining 3.5 percent to 422p after Societe General issued comments that indicated it thinks the energy generator ‘s output could drop by 8.5 tera-watt hours if it has to cut boiler temperatures at its older power plants. It was estimated that such an output decline could send shares down by 110p.

The London equities markets saw gains on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 adding 0.7 percent to 6,150.4 and the FTSE 250 gaining 1.2 percent on the session to close at 10,342.

The media sector saw gains after upgrades for the sector. BSkyB was 0.9 percent higher to 552½p after JP Morgan said that it could top its target for subscribers for 2010. Elsewhere in the sector, Johnston Press added 2.3 percent to 428¾p, while Trinity Mirror gained 3 percent to 502½p and Daily Mail & General Trust was up 3.1 percent to 657p.

Steelmaker Corus added 1.7 percent to 487p on rumors that CSN, the Brazilian steelmaker was ready to top Tata Steel’s bid, worth 455p per share. The bid rumors were denied after the close of the session.

In the energy sector, British Energy was up 5.2 percent to 474p on rumors that a European utility could bid for the UK government’s 65 percent of the company. On the other hand, National Grid dropped 1.6 percent to 674½p.

The retail sector was also mixed, with Tesco up 1.5 percent to 390p, a record high share price, on speculation that it will raise its earnings forecast. However, clothing retailer Next dropped 1 percent to £18.51 on rumors that it is preparing to issue a profits warning.