In London on Monday the FTSE 100 was 0.92 percent lower to 6,134.1 and the FTSE 250 fell 1.2 percent to 10,974.8.

Media group ITV (LSE: ITV) added 2.02 percent to 352.75p for the best day on the 100.

IG Group (LSE: IGG), in the financial services sector, was the best performer on the 250 as it gained 2.02 percent to 111.3p.

Other gainers included investment manager Schroders (LSE: SDR.L), up 2 percent to £13.29.

Water utility Kelda Group (LSE: KEL) gained 1.55 percent to 852p, while electricity generator British Energy Group (LSE: BGY) was 1.82 percent higher to 476.5p.

Music retailer HMV Group (LSE: HMV) added 2.36 percent to 130p. Food processors were mixed.

Premier Foods (LSE: PFD) added 1.84 percent to 248.5p on the 250, but Associated British Foods (LSE: ABF) was 3.41 percent lower to 808.5p on the 100.

Property developers were lower on the session.

Hammerson (LSE: HMSO) dropped 3.27 percent to £11.82, while Minerva (LSE: MNR) was down 4.47 percent to 256.25p.

Builder Alfred McAlpine (LSE: MCA) fell 4.36 percent to 455.5p, while construction materials group Wolseley (LSE: WOS) dropped 3.63 percent to 928p.

The worst performer on the 100 was investment manager Invesco (LSE: AVZ; NYSE: IVZ), which was 3.72 percent lower to 557p, while car rental group Avis Europe (LSE: AVE) was down 4.97 percent to 43p.

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.

The London equities markets were higher on Tuesday, with the FTSE 100 adding 0.6 percent to 6,086.4 and the FTSE 250 up 0.7 percent to 10,834.1. The oil and mining sectors helped in the gains.

In the telecommunications sector, Carphone Warehouse was 7.6 percent higher to 291¾p after its chief executive told Merrill Lynch Monday night that it has gotten back some contract business from Vodafone.

Premier Foods added 6.9 percent to 301½p as rumors circulated that the private equity owners of United Biscuits would be interested in a takeover attempt. Most analysts did not credit the possibility, however, and put the gains more to the recent bid by Premier for rival RHM, which gained 5.7 percent to 377¾p. If the Premier/RHM deal goes through the company created will be the UK’s leading food producer.

In the oil sector, BP was 1.8 percent higher to 578p when UBS named it one of its top picks for next year. Meanwhile, Royal Dutch Shell added 2 percent to £18.25 after ABN Amro raised its recommendation to “buy”.

Among miners, Anglo American was up 3.2 percent to £24.55 on talk that Larry Yung was interested in further building his stake in the company. Higher copper prices sent both Kazakhmys and Antofagasta higher as well. Kazakhmys added 3.1 percent to £12.17, while Antofagasta gained 4.6 percent to 530p.

In the tobacco sector, Gallaher was 3 percent higher to 986½p on expectations of consolidation within the sector. However, SG Securities reiterated its “sell” recommendation on the tobacco company on the basis that it was an unlikely takeover target.