In London on Monday, the FTSE 100 gained 0.67 percent to 6,076 and the FTSE 250 added 0.38 percent to 11,552.8.

Miners saw gains after JPMorgan Chase upped its target share prices on BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; ASX: BHP; NYSE: BHP) and Anglo American (LSE: AAL).

BHP, with its target share price hiked to £20.71, was 1.4 percent higher on the session to £18.68, while Anglo American jumped 3.3 added to £33.52 on a new target share price of £32.84.

Elsewhere in the sector Kazakhmys (LSE: KAZ) gained 3.42 to £15.14, Vedanta Resources (LSE: VED) was up 3.43 percent to £22.30.

Over on the 250, Finland-based miner Talvivaara Mining Company (LSE: TALV) added 6.16 percent to 297.25p while Aquarius Platinum (LSE: AQP; ASX: AQP; JSE: AQP) had the best day on the 250 as it jumped 7.05 percent to £19.12.

The big losers on the session were house builders and property developers.

On the 100, Hammerson (LSE: HMSO) dropped 2.83 percent to £10.29 while Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV) was down 3.07 percent to 631p. Taylor Wimpey (LSE: TW) had the worst day on the 100, falling 3.56 percent to 230.5p.

Over on the 250, Daejan Holdings (LSE: DJAN) was 3.26 percent lower to £34.14 and Bovis Homes (LSE: BVS) dropped 3.43 percent to 634p.

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’s equities markets were higher on Thursday.

The FTSE 100 was up 1.45 percent to 6,576.3, while the FTSE 250 jumped 1.79 percent to 11,480.5. As in Europe, telecoms topped the gainers.

Vodafone (LSE: VOD; NYSE: VOD; FWB: VOD) added 6.45 percent to 189.7p after France Telecom (Euronext: FTE; NYSE: FTE) announced its better than anticipated results.

Retailers also saw gains.

Home Retail (LSE: HOME) was higher on the 100, up 5.03 percent to 412.75, while over on the 250 department store chain Debenhams (LSE: DEB) gained 6.9 percent to 112.25p.

Online gambler PartyGaming (LSE: PRTY) was the best performer on the 250, where it added 13.64 percent to 31.25p.

Insurers were mixed on the session, with Old Mutual (LSE: OML; JSE: OLOML) 5 percent higher to 178.6p but Standard Life (LSE: SLET) down 1.25 percent to 276.25p.

Other losers included house builder and property developer Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV), which dropped 1.81 percent to 650p.

In the banking sector, Alliance & Leicester (LSE: AL) was down 2.99 percent to 729.5p.

Capita Group (LSE: CPI) had the worst day on the 100, falling 5.53 percent to 700p on the news that it will lose handling of London’s congestion charge to IBM (NYSE: IBM) beginning in 2009.

Equities were down in London Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 down 0.49 percent to 6,482 and the FTSE 250 falling 0.71 percent to 11,278.5.

The pharmaceuticals sector saw losses.

GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK; NYSE: GSK) dropped 0.9 percent to £12.49 after it reported that profits were down 5.8 percent in the third quarter on poor sales of Advair and Avandia.

Meanwhile, AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN; NYSE: AZN) fell 2 percent to £24.09 after a lowered recommendation from Merrill Lynch, which cited increased competition from generics in reducing the drug maker from “neutral” to “sell”.

Miners were also lower on declines in base metals prices.

Vedanta Resources (LSE: VED) dropped 4.05 percent to £20.63, while Lonmin (LSE: LMI) was down 4.66 percent to £32.50 and Kazakhmys (LSE: KAZ) fell 7.21 percent to £13.78 after it said output was cut by 19 percent in one of its mines after a flood.

Oil explorer and producer Cairn Energy (LSE: CNE) had the best day on the 250 with a gain of 6.35 percent to £24.13 on rumors that BP (LSE: BP; NYSE: BP; TYO: 5051) might make an offer.

Elsewhere in the oil sector, Tullow Oil (LSE: TLW; OTC: TUWLY) was up 2.09 percent to 610p.

Carphone Warehouse (LSE: CPW) gained 1.82 percent to 336.25p on news of an unexpected deal with Vodafone (LSE: VOD; NYSE: VOD; FWB: VOD) in which Vodafone will host Carphone Warehouse’s new mobile phone service.

The best performance on the 100 came from BAE Systems (LSE: BA). The aerospace and defense group added 3.36 percent to 507p.

In London on Monday the FTSE 100 fell 1.05 percent to 6,459.3 and the FTSE 250 dropped 1.07 percent to 11,177.9.

The biggest loser on the 100 was British Energy Group (LSE: BGY), which fell 8.12 percent to 532p on the news that two nuclear generators will be out of service longer than previously anticipated after new problems there.

Banks were lower.

Lloyds TSB (LSE: LLOY) was 1.2 percent lower to 530p, while Barclays Bank (LSE: BARC; NYSE: BCS; TYO: 8642) was down 1.6 percent to 580p and Royal Bank of Scotland (LSE: RBS; NYSE: RBS PRM) dropped 1.7 percent to 502p.

Miners fell after base metals prices dropped.

BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; ASX: BHP; NYSE: BHP) was down 3.9 percent to £17.64 and Vedanta Resources (LSE: VED) was 5.04 percent lower to £20.54, while Xstrata (LSE: XTA) also fell 5.04 percent to £36.20 and Kazakhmys (LSE: KAZ) dropped 5.15 percent to €14.55.

With crude oil prices also lower, Tullow Oil was down 5.79 percent to 585.5p.

Among gainers on the day, supermarket chain Wm Morrison (LSE: MRW) was up 1.62 percent to 297.25p while elsewhere in the retail sector Home Retail (LSE: HOME) added 1.81 percent to 380p.

Cruise line operator Carnival (LSE: CCL; NYSE: CCL) gained 1.61 percent to £22.68.

London’s markets were lower again on Friday.

The FTSE 100 dropped 1.23 percent to 6,527.9 while FTSE 250 fell 0.98 percent to 11,299.3.

Insurer Resolution (LSE: RSL) had the best day on the 100 as it gained 2.12 percnet to 722p.

Housebuilders and the construction sector more generally were higher on both the 100 and the 250.

Persimmon (LSE: PSN) was up 1.15 percent to 971p and Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV) was 1.29 percent higher to 667p on the 100, while over on the 250 house builder Redrow (LSE: RDW) gained 3.03 percent to 383p and construction group Alfred McAlpine (LSE: MCA) added 3.54 percent to 555p.

Other gainers included paper group DS Smith (LSE: SMPS), which was up 5.31 percent to 228p on the 250.

Brewer Scottish & Newcastle (LSE: SCTN) was 1.19 percent higher to 766.5p on the 100.

Banks were lower, with Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) again leading the losers on the 100 with a decline of 8.61 percent to 186.9p.

Elsewhere in the sector, HBOS (LSE: HBOS) dropped 2.91 percent to 835p.

In the pharmaceuticals sector Astra Zeneca (LSE: AZN; NYSE: AZN) was down 3.64 percent to £24.61 after the revocation of an inhaler patent by European authorities and a downgrade from “neutral” to “sell” by UBS.

Advertising group WPP (LSE: WPP; NAS: WPPGY) fell 4.18 percent to 665p after it reported quarterly revenues that were at the low end of expectations.

In London on Thursday, the FTSE 100 dropped 1.02 percent to 6,609.4 and the FTSE 250 was 1.1 percent lower to 11,411.6.

House builders and property developers and investors did poorly on both indices.

Investor and developer Brixton (LSE: BXTN) was down 4.42 percent to 345.75p, while Hammerson (LSE: HMSO) was 4.74 percent lower to £10.66.

Quintain Estates & Development (LSE: QED) dropped 4.87 percent to 673.5p and St. Modwen Properties (LSE: SMP) fell 4.9 percent to 480.75p.

Builder and developer Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV) was down 5.12 percent to 658.5 while Taylor Wimpey (LSE: TW) dropped 5.15 percent to 253.25.

In addition, building materials group Wolseley (LSE: WOS) was 4.57 percent lower to 786p.

The biggest loser on the 100, however, was consumer electronics retailer DSG International (LSE: DSGI), which fell 8.75 percent to 124.1p after it reported that first half profits were hurt by poor sales.

Elsewhere in the retail sector, sporting goods retailer Sports Direct (LSE: SPD) dropped 5.11 percent to 148.5p.

Medical devices manufacturer Smith & Nephew (LSE: SN) turned in the best performance on the 100 with a gain of 2.67 percent to 615p.

Other gainers included beverage cans maker Rexam (LSE: REX), which was up 1.99 percent to 538p and pubs operator Mitchells & Butlers (LSE: MAB) with a gain of 1.58 percent to 641p.

In London on Wednesday, the FTSE 100 added 0.96 percent to 6,677.7 and the FTSE 250 gained 1.51 percent to 11,538.

The big gainer on the 100 was brewer Scottish & Newcastle (LSE: SCTN), which jumped 18.77 percent to 756p after Carlsberg (OMX: CARL A, CARL B) and Heineken (Euronext: HEIA) said they are in talks concerning forming a consortium to make a bid for the UK brewer.

Elsewhere in the sector SAB Miller (LSE: SAB) added 2.3 percent to £14.62.

Among retailers, supermarkets also saw gains.

Tesco (LSE: TSCO) was 1.9 percent higher to 475p, while Wm Morrison (LSE: MRW) gained 4.09 percent to 298.75p.

Elsewhere in the retail sector, sporting goods retailer Sports Direct (LSE: SPD) was up 10.99 percent to 156.5p for the best day on the 250.

Other gainers included food processor Tate & Lyle (LSE: TATE), which was 7.63 percent higher to 455p, and Imperial Tobacco Group (LSE: IMT) with a gain of 4.31 percent to £23.97.

In the banking sector, Northern Rock was back in the losing column dropping 7.16 percent to 207.5p for the worst day on the 100.

Miner Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) fell 1.47 percent to £43.54 after it said iron production dropped 2 percent in the quarter ending September 30 from the previous quarter.

In the oil sector, BP (LSE: BP; NSYE: BP; TYO: 5051) was 1.2 percent lower to 619.5p.

London’s markets were lower Tuesday.

The FTSE 100 was down 0.45 percent to 6,614.3 while the FTSE 250 fell 0.64 percent to 11,366.2.

The oil sector was mixed as crude oil prices climbed again.

BG Group (LSE: BG; NYSE: BG) was up 2.12 percent to 914p, while BP (LSE: BP; NYSE: BP; TYO: 5051) was 0.72 percent higher to 627p.

Royal Dutch Shell’s (LSE: RDSA, RDSB; NYSE: RDS.A, RDS.B) B shares added 1.27 percent to £20.81 and it’s A shares gained 1.46 percent to £20.86.

But Tullow Oil (LSE: TLW; OTC: TUWLY) fell 0.24 percent to 624p and Dana Petroleum (LSE: DNX) was 1.86 percent lower to £12.63.

Banks were mixed as well.

Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) continued its roller-coaster ride, adding 3.35 percent to 223.5p, while Alliance & Leicester (LSE: AL) gained 2.79 percent to 775p, but they were the only gainers among big banks in the UK.

Mortgage lender Bradford & Bingley (LSE: BB) dropped 3.14 percent on the session to 254.5p.

Some miners were lower, with Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) falling 2.81 percent to 829p.

Johnson Matthey (LSE: JMAT), the biggest gainer on the 100 on Monday, fell 4.73 percent to £17.53 for the worst performance on the session.

In London, the FTSE 100 dropped 1.28 percent on Monday to 6,644.5 while the FTSE 250 fell 1.18 percent to 11,439.9.

The oil sector was higher on higher prices and on continued tensions between Turkey and Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq.

Royal Dutch Shell’s (LSE: RDSA, RDSB; NYSE: RDS.A, RDS.B) B shares added 0.69 percent to £20.55 while it’s A shares gained 0.54 percent to £20.56.

BP (LSE: BP; NYSE: BP; TYO: 5051) was up 0.57 percent to 622.5p while Venture Production (LSE: VPC) jumped 4.29 percent to 766.5p.

The biggest gainer on the 100 was chemicals group Johnson Matthey (LSE: JMAT) added 9.92 percent to £18.40.

On the other hand, the worst performance on the 100 was turned in by Northern Rock (LSE: NRK), which dropped 20.86 percent to 216.25p after saying that while it is talking to several possible bidders, the talks are in an early stage.

Elsewhere in the banking sector, Alliance & Leicester (LSE: AL) was down 5.81 percent to 754p.

Brewer SAB Miller (LSE: SAB) fell 4.72 percent to £14.13 after it said that while volume is up overall, sales have been slow in Latin America.

Over on the 250, the best performer on the day was online auctioneer QXL Ricardo (LSE: QXL), which added 4.58 percent to £12.55.

Holding company Rank Group (LSE: RNK) was the biggest loser of the day on the 250, where it fell 12.20 percent to 109.75p.