In London on Thursday the FTSE 100 added 0.83 percent to 6,486.4 and the FTSE 250 was up 1.38 percent to 11,039.5.

Banks were higher on the 100.

HBOS (LSE: HBOS) gained 4.93 percent to 916p, while Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) was 6.32 percent higher to 193.5p.

Alliance & Leicester (LSE: AL) had the best day on the blue chip index as it added 8.46 percent to 795p.

Insurer Standard Life (LSE: SLET) was also higher, gaining 5.91 percent to 291.25p.

House builder Taylor Wimpey (LSE: TW) jumped 6.59 percent to 275p.

Over on the 250, online gambler PartyGaming (LSE: PRTY) put in the best performance as it added 7.41 percent to 29p.

Commodity-related sectors didn’t have as good a day.

Among miners, Aquarius Platinum (LSE: AQP; ASX: AQP; JSE: AQP) had the worst day on the 250 with a decline of 7.09 percent to £17.31.

Over on the 100, Vedanta Resources (LSE: VED) fell 2.47 percent to £20.57 and Kazakhmys (LSE: KAZ) was down 1.69 percent to £14.55.

In the oil sector, Tullow Oil (LSE: TLW; OTC: TUWLY) was 1.93 percent lower to 585p.

JKX Oil & Gas (LSE: JKX) dropped 3.34 percent to 333p.

Caterer Compass Group (LSE: CPG) had the worst day on the 100, where it fell 2.97 percent to 310.75p.

London’s equities markets saw gains Wednesday as some banks were higher.

The FTSE 100 added 0.56 percent to 6,433 while the FTSE 250 gained 0.33 percent to 10,889.3.

Banks were higher on the 100, led by Northern Rock (LSE: NRK), which was up 11.59 percent to 182p after it said it had received some approaches to buy, as well an offer.

HBOS (LSE: HBOS) was 5.12 percent higher to 873p after Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) added it to its “conviction buy” list, while Alliance & Leicester (LSE: AL) gained 3.4 percent to 733p.

Internet price comparison site Moneysupermarket.com (LSE: MONY) was the best performer of the day on the 250 as it added 5.49 percent to 173p.

Miners were mixed.

Aquarius Platinum (LSE: AQP; ASX: AQP; JSE: AQP) was 5.37 percent higher to £18.63 on the 250, but Xstrata (LSE: XTA) was down 1.44 percent on the 100 to £31.49.

DSG International (LSE: DSGI) had the worst day on the 100, where it dropped 3.71 percent to 129.9p after Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS; SWX: CSGN) cut the retailer’s target share price from 155p to 95p.

Elsewhere in the retail sector, Carphone Warehouse (LSE: CPW) was down 2.1 percent to 350.25p.

Over on the 250, computer software and video game retailer GAME Group (LSE: GAME) fell 6.93 percent to 188p.

The worst performance on the 250 came from the oil sector, where JKX Oil & Gas (LSE: JKX) was 7.02 percent lower to 344.5p.

London’s equities markets saw declines on Friday.

The FTSE 100 1.17 percent lower to 6,289.3 and the FTSE 250 falling 1.95 percent to 10,954.

Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) had the worst performance by far on the 100, falling 31.46 percent to 438p after it had to ask the Bank of England for help after it could not find a place to borrow money from traditional sources and customers lined up outside branches of the bank to withdraw their money from accounts.

The trouble extended to other banks, with Alliance & Leicester (LSE: AL) dropping 6.88 percent to 873p.

Mortgage lenders were also hurt.

Paragon (LSE: PAG) was down 16.76 percent to 298p for the worst day on the 250.

It was followed by fellow mortgage lender Bradford & Bingley (LSE: BB), which was 7.7 percent lower to 329.75.

Homebuilders were also lower on the day.

Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV) dropped 4.71 percent to 829p and Persimmon (LSE: PSN) was down 6.62 percent to £10.16 on the 250, while Bellway (LSE: BWY) fell 7.54 percent to £10.67 on the 100.

Oil-related shares saw gains on the 250.

Burren Energy (LSE: BUR) was up 1.79 percent to 853p, while Dana Petroleum (LSE: DNX) added 1.94 percent to £10 and JKX Oil & Gas (LSE: JKX) was 2.25 percent higher to 397.75p.

Gold miner Hochschild (LSE: HOC) had the best day on the 250 as it gained 3.83 percent to 345.25p.

Chemicals group Reckitt Benckiser (LSE: RB) was the best performer on the 100, adding 1.49 percent to £27.99.

Publisher Reed Elsevier (LSE: REL; Euronext: REN; NYSE: ENL; NYSE: RUK) was 1.08 percent higher to 608p, and DIY retailer Kingfisher (LSE: KFG) closed at 196.6p, a gain of 0.2 percent.

In London on Wednesday, the FTSE 100 added 1.81 percent to 6,196 and the FTSE 250 was up 2.55 percent to 10,910.7.

Miners were higher on the day after BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; NYSE: BHP; ASX: BHP) announced that its underlying profit was up 35 percent in the full year on increased demand from China and on higher commodity prices.

BHP was 4.92 percent higher to £13.65, taking other miners with it.

Anglo-American (LSE: AAL) was up 4.68 percent to £27.52, while Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) gained 6.19 percent to 694.5p and Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) added 6.81 percent to £32.80 and Lonmin (LSE: LMI) jumped 7.22 percnet to £31.77.

Pubs operator Punch Taverns (LSE: PUB) added 6.4 percent to £10.39 on positive broker comment.

Rivals Mitchells & Butlers (LSE: MAB) and Enterprise Inns (LSE: ETI) were also higher, gaining 3.8 percent to 704p and 5.8 percent to 611p respectively.

Some banks also saw gains. HSBC (LSE: HSBA; NYSE: HBC; Euronext: HSBC; SEHK: 005) was up 1.2 percent to 907p after it said it will close an office in Indiana next year and will eliminate 600 jobs on account of subprime problems.

Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN; SEHK: 2888) gained 2.2 percent to £15.75, while Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) added 3.7 percent to 728p.

Construction-related shares did well on the 250.

Construction engineering firm Keller Group (LSE: KLR) added 6.88 percent to 987p.

Atkins (LSE: ATK), which offers construction management and consulting services, was up 8.61 percent to £10.28, while builder Severfield-Rowen (LSE: SFR) was the best perfomrer of the day on the 250 as it gained 8.83 percent to £22.68.

The oil sector was mixed.

JKX Oil & Gas (LSE: JKX) had the worst day on the 250, falling 4.25 percent to 354.75.

On the other hand, Tullow Oil (LSE: TLW; OTC: TUWLY) was 4.4 percent higher to 483p after it said it had made a “significant” discovery offshore near Ghana.

The worst performer on the 100 was Scottish & Southern Energy (LSE: SSE) with a drop of 2.94 percent to £13.85.

In the telecommunications sector, Vodafone (LSE: VOD; NYSE: VOD; FWB: VOD) was 0.26 percent lower to 156p, while BT Group (LSE: BT.A; NYSE: BT) dropped 2.24 percent to 305p.

In the retail sector, DSG International (LSE: DSGI) was down 0.63 percent to 159p.

London markets were mixed Tuesday, with the FTSE 100 up 0.12 percent to 6.086.1 but the FTSE 250 down 0.6 percent to 10,639.3.

The mixed nature of the indices translated to mixed days within individual sectors.

For example, while property developer Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV) was the worst performer of the day on the 100 with a drop of 3.25 percent to 909p, British Land (BLND) added 1.42 percent to £12.15.

Likewise among electricity generators.

While International Power (LSE: IPR; NYSE: IPR) added 1.55 percent to 409p, Drax Group (LSE: DRX) fell 2.29 percent to 620p.

Miner BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; NYSE: BHP; ASX: BHP) had the best day on the 100, adding 2.04 percent to £13.01 after it said it had moved two drilling rigs from deep water in the Gulf of Mexico ahead of Hurricane Dean.

Meanwhile on the 250, JKX Oil & Gas was the best performer with a gain of 7.39 percent to 370.5p.

Other gainers on the day included British Airways (LSE: BAY; NYSE: BAB) at 1.52 percent higher to 401.5p.

In the telecommunications sector, BT Group (LSE: BT.A; NYSE: BT) gained 1.46 percent to 312p.

Avis Europe (LSE: AVE) was up 4.42 percent to £47.25.

Among decliners, pubs operator Punch Taverns (LSE: PUB) was 2.35 percent lower to 976.5p, while Intercontinental Hotels (LSE: IHG; NYSE: IHG) fell 2.33 percent to £10.06.

Human resources specialist Michael Page International (LSE: MPI) dropped 4.22 percent to 419.5p.

London’s markets joined the global market slide on Friday as the FTSE 100 fell 3.71 percent to 6,038.3 and the FTSE 250 was down 2.88 percent to 10,889.5.

Again, financial services groups ended up lower on the day. Northern Rock (LSE: NRK) led the decliners on the 100 as it dropped 9.57 percent to 713.5p, while investment managers Rathbone Brothers (LSE: RAT) was the worst performer on the 250 with a decline of 12.02 percent to £11.57.

Insurer Resolution (LSE: RSL) fell 6.71 percent to 626p, while special risks insurer Beazley Group (LSE: BEZ) was 7.98 percent lower to 150p.

Hedge fund Man Group (LSE: EMG) was down 0.06 percent to 479.25p, while asset managers Henderson Group (LSE: HGI; ASX: HGI) dropped 9.43 percent to 139.25p.

Among gainers, Avis Europe (LSE: AVE) led the 250 with a gain of 15.91 percent to 51p, while cruise operator Carnival (LSE: CCL; NYSE: CCL; NYSEL CUK) was the best performer on the 100 as it added 0.54 percent to £22.44.

Food processors did well on the 100.

Tate & Lyle was up 0.18 percent to 549p, while Associated British Foods (LSE: ABF) gained 0.3 percent to 844p.

The oil sector did well on the 250.

Oil refiner and distributor Hunting (LSE: HTG) was 3.36 percent higher to 707.5p, while JKX Oil & Gas (LSE: JKX) was up 13.48 percent to 360p.

In London on Friday the FTSE 100 was 1.21 percent lower to 6,224.3 and the FTSE 250 fell 0.42 percent to 11,185.8.

Insurers were mixed on the day.

Royal Sun & Alliance (LSE: RSA; OTC: RSA) was the best performer on the 100 as it added 1.71 percent to 131.2p after JP Morgan (NYSE: JPM; TYO: 8634).

Friends Provident (LSE: FP) was also higher, gaining 0.53 percent to 191.2p.

But Old Mutual (LSE: OML; JSE: OLOML) had the worst day on the 100, falling 4.73 percent to 155.1p while Standard Life (LSE: SLET) was also lower, dropping 3.32 percent to 305.75p after Panmure Gordon (LSE: DUC) cut its target share price from 370p to 346p.

Pubs operators also saw declines on the 100, with Whitbread (LSE: WTB) 3.34 percent lower to £15.35 and Punch Taverns (LSE: PUB) down 3.6 percent to £10.72.

Other gainers on the 100 included clothing retailer Next (LSE: NXT), which added 1.02 percent to £18.87.

Electricity generator International Power (LSE: IPR; NYSE: IPR) was 1.55 percent higher to 426p.

Engineering group Tomkins (LSE: TOMK; NYSE: TKS) had the best day on the 250, adding 7.44 percent to 249.25p on second quarter profits that were down less than had been expected and after Cazenove raised its recommendation from “underperform” to “in-line”.

In the electronics sector, Cookson Group (LSE: CKSN; OTC: CKSNY) gained 3.93 percent to 753.5p after Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER; TYO: 8675) raised its target share price from 815p to 850p.

JKX Oil & Gas was the biggest loser on the 250 for the day, dropping 4.04 percent to 362.25p.

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.

London equities markets were higher on Tuesday due to advances in a wide variety of sectors. The FTSE 100 added 0.7 percent to 6,072.7, while the FTSE 250 gained 0.9 percent to a new high of 10,244.5.

Asset managers had a good day as Schroders added 4.2 percent to £10.04, Amvescap gained 5.3 percent to 629p, and Man Group was 8.2 percent higher to 478p. Amvescap benefited from the news that the funds under its management have gone up from $428.9 billion in August to $440 billion in September. The September figure was a full $2 billion higher than some estimates.

In the telecommunications sector, Vodafone added 2.6 percent to 120¼p on an upgrade to “outperform” by Bernstein Research, which also set a target share price of 155p for the telecom company.

The oil sector was higher on gains in exploration companies despite another drop in crude oil prices. Premier Oil advanced by 4.5 percent to £11.70, a record high. Dana Petroleum, rumored to be interested in Premier, added 6.4 percent to £12.62. Tullow Oil and JKX Oil & Gas were both 6.1 percent higher, to 391p and 290p respectively.

Plumber and building materials company Wolseley added 3.9 percent to £12.11 on positive comments from JP Morgan concerning US homebuilders. Wolseley gains around 60 percent of its revenues from the US market every year.

Among losers on the session, Shire dropped 4.6 percent to 961p as investors decided that its 15 percent advance on Monday was out of proportion to the news that the drug maker had gained approval for its hyperactivity drug, NRP 104, for use in the United States.

The London equities markets saw declines on Monday as oil and miners were both lower on declining prices. The FTSE 100 dropped 0.5 percent to 5,850.8, while the FTSE 250 was 0.9 percent lower to 9,523.1. Volume was low, with only 2 billion shares trading hands.

The oil sector was down as crude oil prices continued to decline. BP ended the session at 583p, 1.3 percent lower, while BG Group dropped 2.6 percent to 659½p. Among mid-cap oil companies, JKX Oil & Gas declined 6.8 percent to 258¼p.

Miners were lower as well, as investors continued to worry that interest rates in China would be raised in order to slow growth there. BHP Billiton was 4.9 percent lower to 934p, Vedanta Resources dropped 6.2 percent to £12.39, and Aquarius Platinum fell 10.1 percent to 841½p.

In the retail sector, Next was 1.1 percent lower to £17.09 on doubts that rumors on Friday that private equity firms were interested in bidding would end up producing anything concrete.

The telecommunications sector did better on the session. Vodafone, with its Vodafone Italia division its second most lucrative asset, was 1.9 percent higher to 114¾p on the news that Telecom Italia’s board had met to consider restructuring that could include the sale of its wireless business. BT Group added 1.9 percent to 253¼p after it won a contract to provide Vodafone’s UK customers with broadband internet. Cable & Wireless, which was also in the running for the Vodafone contract, was still up 0.2 percent to 125½p.