London saw gains on Friday on advances in the oil and mining sectors.

The FTSE 100 was 1.29 percent higher to 6,661.3 and the FTSE 250 was up 0.25 percent to 11,509.6.

Record-high oil prices sent the oil sector higher.

BP (LSE: BP; NYSE: BP; TYO: 5051) gained 2.69 percent to 629p, while Royal Dutch Shell’s (LSE: RDSA, RDSB; NYSE: RDS.A, RDS.B) A shares added 2.95 percent to £21.28 and its B shares jumped 3.01 percent to £21.21.

Meanwhile in the mining sector, Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) was up 3.85 percent to 849.5p, while Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) was 4.3 percent higher to £44.17 and Xstrata (LSE: XTA) gained 5.6 percent to £35.28.

Retailers took the top spots among both winners and losers on the 100.

Do-it-yourself retailer Kingfisher (LSE: KFG) added 7.05 percent to 185.3p on takeover rumors, while supermarket chain J Sainsbury (LSE: SBRY) dropped 3.17 percent to 565.5p on the news that a possible bidder is trying to raise enough money for the bid.

Electricity and natural gas utility Centrica (LSE: CAN) was 2.21 percent lower to 364.25p, while electricity generator British Energy (LSE: BGY) fell 1.82 percent to 538p.

Over on the 250, internet price comparison sites were mixed. Moneysupermarket.com (LSE: MONY) added 3.85 percent to 202.25p, but property search website Rightmove (LSE RMV) dropped 4.76 percent to 600p.

London equities markets were lower on Tuesday, with the FTSE 100 dropping 0.8 percent to 6,215.7 and the FTSE 250 falling 0.7 percent to 11,124.5.

The tobacco sector was mixed on bids rumors. Gallaher was 0.3 percent higher to £11.38 after it was said that Japan Tobacco could be working to purchase more stock. After the close these rumors were borne out as Japan Tobacco said it had added 6.3 million additional shares. Imperial Tobacco, however, dropped 0.5 percent to £20.99, hurt by a report that it would bid for Spanish cigarette maker Altadis sometime during the year.

There were mixed results in the energy sector as well. Scottish Power was 0.1 percent higher, to 742½p. Scottish & Southern Energy added 2.2 percent to £15.60 for the largest gain of the session on the 100. Both gains came amid bids rumors. Two other energy companies were lower on the session even though they are seen as more likely targets. Kelda dropped 0.1 percent to 926½p, while Centrica fell 0.8 percent to 355¼p.

In the retail sector, Kingfisher dropped 2.1 percent to 232½p on a downgrade of its long-term credit rating by Standard & Poor’s and a lowered earnings estimate from Lehman Brothers. J. Sainsbury, on the other hand, added 0.8 percent to 424½p on rumors that Lord Sainsbury of Turnville’s 15 percent stake in the supermarket is the target of a financial buyer.

In a short session ahead of the long Christmas weekend, the FTSE 100 added 0.1 percent to 6,190.0. The FTSE 250 was also higher, gaining 0.2 percent to 11,083.5. Volumes were extremely light, with fewer than 1 billion shares changing hands. The 250 was even on the week, while the 100 dropped 1.1 percent from its opening level on Monday.

The retail sector was mixed. Marks & Spencer added 1 percent to 721p, a record high, as Credit Suisse reaffirmed its “outperform” rating. On the other hand, DSG International, owner of Currys and Dixons, dropped 188¾p after Credit Suisse labeled it an underperformer. HMV, the book and music retailer, dropped 3.1 percent to 142¼p on a downgrade from Goldman Sachs after it issued a profit warning earlier in the week.

Premier Foods dropped 5.3 percent to 300p after it said that its yearly profits would only make the low end of predictions. It said the drop was due to the fact that many people had been putting off shopping for Christmas because of mild weather.

Gainers included Centrica, which gained 3 percent to 356p on a target price upgrade from Citigroup, which said that the energy company would benefit from a drop in wholesale gas prices. Also seeing gains was Intercontinental Hotels Group. The Holiday Inn chain operator gained 4.8 percent to £12.17 on bids rumours.

London equities markets were up on Tuesday, but just barely, with the FTSE 100 adding 0.08 percent to 5,918.7 and the FTSE 250 gaining 0.01 percent to 9,761 in a late rally that brought both indices up from earlier declines. Volume was a bit higher at 2.8 billion shares trading hands during the session.

The oil sector was helped higher on the day by bid rumors. Royal Dutch Shell was said to be interested in bidding for both BG Group, which added 0.9 percent to 690½p, and for Premier Oil, which ended the session 2.1 percent higher to £10.65. Royal Dutch Shell itself gained 0.1 percent to £18.96.

Utilities ended the session lower, with the exception of Centrica, which owns British Gas. Centrica added 1.9 percent to 308¼p even though Gazprom denied rumors that it was interested in making a bid. Vattenfall has also been said to be interested. Elsewhere in the sector, Scottish & Southern dropped 0.4 percent to £12.21, while Scottish Power was 0.5 percent lower to 625½p and United Utilities fell 0.7 percent to 685½p.

In the retail sector, Next was 0.6 percent higher to £16.67 after Man Securities recommended that its clients buy on the strength of a prediction that margins will increase even if sales decline. Meanwhile, DSG International gained 0.9 percent to 209¾p on positive comments from Merrill Lynch.

Among miners, Kazakhmys added 3.4 percent to £13.31 on a repot that its half-year report will show operating profits up by 121 percent.

The FTSE 100 ended the day 0.9 percent higher on Thursday, at 5,929.5. It was the fourth day of gains in a row for the blue-chip index, during which time it has gained 3.6 percent, or over 210 points. The FTSE 250 was also up on the day, gaining 0.8 percent to 9,362.

Earnings reports in several sectors helped stocks to advance. Rolls Royce added 5 percent to 442¾p on better than expected half-year results that had Numis Securities raising the target share price on the airplane engine manufacturer from 475p to 525p. Fund manager Amvescap also was higher, by 4.1 percent to 522½p, after releasing its quarterly report. Retailer Kingfisher added 3.5 percent to 244¾p, while Centrica was up 0.1 percent to 292¾p.

But not all advances on the day were related to earnings reports. SAB Miller added 1.5 percent to £10.44 on a strengthening of the South African rand. The brewer makes a substantial amount of its money in South Africa.

Miners were up on higher copper prices and on upgrades from UBS. Kazakhmys was up 6.4 percent to £12.61, while Antofagasta gained 4.8 percent to 416½p and Vedanta Resources added 4.7 percent to £13.21. Xstrata was 5.2 percent higher to £21.41 on the news that it will purchase another 5 percent of Canadian nickel producer Falconbridge, for which it has made a bid.

In the pharmaceutical sector, AstraZeneca was 3.3 percent lower to £13.75 on a disappointing outlook statement that was issued along with its quarterly report.

The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 both saw gains on Friday and for the entire week, but both were lower for the second quarter of the year. The 100 ended the day 0.7 percent higher to 5,833.4. This meant a gain of 2.5 percent this week, but still left it 2.2 percent lower in the second quarter of 2006. The 250 ended the day up by 1.3 percent to 9,422.7, also a 2.5 percent gain for the week. It dropped 4.3 percent during the quarter, however. Trade volumes on the day were higher than they have been, with more than 3 billion shares trading hands.

Miners were up as the news of another interest rate hike in the United States sent metals prices higher. BHP Billiton gained 1.75 percent to £10.49, while Anglo American added 2.5 percent to £22.18 and Xstrata was up 3.1 percent to £20.50.

In the steel sector, Corus advanced by 2.5 percent to 456½p as rumors persisted that India’s Tata Steel is interested in making a bid.

Among utilities, Centrica added 4.1 percent to 285¼p after the head of Gazprom said during a news conference in Moscow that while there are not talks going on presently, he is still interested in purchasing the owner of British Gas. Gazprom recently bought Pennine Natural Gas, based in Cheshire.

In the semiconductor sector, Wolfson Microelectronics gained 4.3 percent to 115¼p on a reconfirmation of a “buy” recommendation from ABN Amro.

London equities markets were mixed again on Tuesday, with the FTSE 100 0.5 percent lower to 5,652.3. The FTSE 250 was just slightly higher, up 0.02 percent. Trade volumes were low once again, with 2.5 billion shares changing hands as investors delayed moves until after the US Federal Reserve meets later in the week.

SAB Miller, which has been declining largely due to weakness in the South African rand, managed to gain 1.2 percent to 934p on a “buy” recommendation from Deutsche Bank, which said that despite currency issues the brewer is showing strong performance.

In the utilities sector, Centrica added 0.7 percent to 271p after ABN Amro repeated its “buy” recommendation on the stock and maintained its 321p target share price for the owner of British Gas.

The insurance sector was mixed, with Prudential up 0.5 percent to 567p as investors saw it as vulnerable to an approach after its 23.6 percent decline since it declined an offer from Aviva in March. Aviva declined by 0.2 percent to 737½p.

Miner Xstrata was down by 2.6 percent to £19.04 on concerns that it could increase its offer for Falconbridge. Phelps Dodge said Monday that it will buy the Canadian nickel miner.

Only six stocks on the FTSE 100 in London managed to end the session on a positive note on Thursday as the 100 dropped 2.5 percent to close at 5,562.9. This took the blue-chip index to 9.4 percent below the 5 ½ year high it reached in April. The FTSE 250 did even worse on the day, closing down 2.5 percent to 8,813.7, it’s lowest close since December. Miners and oil were major factors in the declines.

In the mining sector, share values fell as metals prices declined. BHP Billiton decline by 6.5 percent to 935½p, while Anglo American lost 6.8 percent to £18.45 and Rio Tinto dropped 7 percent to £25.80.

Crude oil prices dropped on the news that al-Queda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been killed in an air raid in Iraq. The price declines came on the theory that the terrorist’s death would lead to a decline in disruptions to oil production there. Lower oil prices led to declines share value for oil companies. BG Group dropped 2 percent to 676p, while BP lost 3.4 percent to 603p.

Among gainers on the day were Centrica, the owner of British Gas, which added 1.4 percent to 279p. The gain came as rumors spread that Gazprom is looking to take a 10 percent stake in British Gas. Some analysts, however, pointed out that a similar rumor in February did not lead to an actual purchase by Gazprom.

William Morrison also was up, by 0.2 percent to 195½p, also on bid rumors. Talk had it that Icelandic investment group Baugur and Allan Leighton were thinking about taking over the supermarket operator.

London equities markets were down on Thursday as the FTSE 100 lost 22.8 points to 5,849.3 and the FTSE 250 dropped 9.5 points to 9.462.7. Much of the declines could be attributed to losses by Reuters and weakness in the oil sector.

Reuters was down 10.1 percent to 405¾p despite revenue and profits reports that were about as expected.

Some retailers saw gains on the day. Beauty products retailer Body Shop was up 12.2 percent to 275p on a confirmation of the report that French group L’Oreal is thinking of bidding for the company, even though no firm offer has yet been made. Home furnishing and fashion retailer Laura Ashley, meanwhile, advanced by 12.9 percent to 17½p on an announcement that full-year profits will be higher than had been forecast.

Otherwise, the markets saw a series of declines on the day. In the telecommunications sector, Colt Telecom dropped 5.4 percent to 61½p after it announced a new share offering to raise equity. Investec repeated its “sell” recommendation on the company’s shares and analysts questioned the need and timing for the new offering. Meanwhile, telecommunications testing equipment firm Spirent declined by 2.9 percent to 51.3p after it announced that its full-year pre-tax profit was £4.9 million, much lower than the figure of £15.4 million from the previous year.

Defense contractor BAE Systems dropped 2.2 percent on the day to 437½p on concern over problems with its pension plan.

Utility Centrica dropped 1.1 percent to 293p after the parent company of British Gas reported its annual earnings were down 4 percent due to higher interest and tax bills. It said that it could not guarantee that gas prices would not go up.

The equities markets in London were up in mid-day trading on Tuesday, led by advances in the energy sector brought on by bidding wars on the continent.

The FTSE 100 was up 0.3 percent to 5,882.3 and the FTSE 250 advanced by the same percentage to 9.481.0.

While Eon and Gas Natural fought it out to see which firm would be able to acquire Endsea, buying among utilities listed on the London exchanges accelerated. International Power was up 3.8 percent to 285p and Centrica gained 3.7 percent to 307p, while Scottish & Southern Energy reached a record share price of £11.76, up 3.1 percent. British Energy gained 1.8 percent to 630¾p, helped by an upgrade from “sell” to “hold” by Citigroup, which also boosted British Energy’s target price from 360p to 530p.

Elsewhere, Numis securities upgraded online gaming company Partygaming from “hold” to “add”, helping Partygaming to a gain of 3.2 percent to 122½p. The upgrade came after a legal dispute with Empire Online had been settled. Empire Online gained 0.8 percent to 119p.

Credit Suisse, however, downgraded cruise ship operator Carnival from “outperform” to “neutral” after bookings were lower than expected even after promotions had been increased. Carnival dropped 2.6 percent to £31.86.