London’s equities markets saw gains on the session Wednesday.

The FTSE 100 was 0.27 percent higher to 6,633 and the FTSE 250 gained 0.74 percent to 11,512.1.

In the banking sector, Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) added 32.29 percent to 273p after a hedge fund based in Monaco purchased a 4 percent stake in the troubled financial institution.

Other banks did not do as well on the day.

Barclays Bank (LSE: BARC; NYSE: BCS; TYO: 8642) was down 1.5 percent to 655.5p, while HBOS (LSE: HBOS) fell 3.09 percent to 926p after Lehman Brothers downgraded the bank from “overweight” to “underweight” and dropped its target share price from £10.46 to £10.28.

Voting shares in investment manager Schroders (LSE: SDR.L) added 5.71 percent to £15, while non-voting shares (LSE: SDRt.L) were up 4.27 percent to £12.94.

Business services group Experian (LSE: EXPN) had the worst day on the 100, where it fell 7 percent to 505p.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, meanwhile, Shire (LSE: SHP; NAS: SHPGY) dropped 2.1 percent to £12.15.

Reinsurer Benfield Group (LSE: BFD) was 2.83 percent lower to 724.25p, while construction group Severfield-Rowen (LSE: SFR) fell 2.65 percent to 552p.

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.

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 dropped 0.12 percent to 6,186.6 but the FTSE 250 added 0.05 percent to 10,718.2, a record high close.

Miners were up on the session. Anglo American added 0.6 percent to £22.40 on rumors that investment bank JP Morgan is attempting to put together a deal for the miner, including that he is talking to Brian Gilbertson, formerly of BHP Billiton but now chairman of Rusal of Russia. Meanwhile, Xstrata was 1 percent higher to £22.14.

Credit check provider Experian gained 2.6 percent to 615p after it was said that private equity was interested, although some analysts were doubtful of the report. Experian reports its quarterly results next week.

Retailers were down as J Sainsbury dropped 1.6 percent to 412½p even though its first half numbers, due today, are said to be positive, and Wm Morrison fell 1.8 percent to 264¼p on the news that half of its board of directors have recently sold shares.

BSkyB was 2.4 percent lower to 537p after its chairman, Rupert Murdoch, made comments that the company’s build-up of its broadband internet business. The comments came in an informal “chat” with investors in Australia.

Wolseley dropped 1.6 percent to £11.90 on rumors that it was about to bid for Dutch firm Hagemeyer. Most traders, however, discounted the talk and said that the decline was due to Home Depot’s worse than anticipated quarterly report in the US.