London’s equities markets came back from Monday’s holiday to major losses. The FTSE 100 declined by 2.4 percent to 5,652.0 while the FTSE 250 lost 2.9 percent to 9,235.5.

Shares in companies that depend on the US dollar for a large part of their earnings were especially vulnerable as the greenback continued to weaken. Among those losers were asset manager Amvescap, which declined by 4.2 percent to 408p; plumbers Wolseley, down 5 percent to £12.02; and building materials group Hanson, which lost 5.6 percent to 642p.

The insurance sector also saw losses. Prudential was down 4.3 percent to 576½p, while Old Mutual declined by 4.9 percent to 163½p.

Miners were down on the day even though metals prices were relatively stable. Copper miner Kazakhmys had the worst of it, dropping 4.6 percent to £10.85.

Gainers on the day included airport operators BAA, which added 6.4 percent to 873p after it said it had rejected a 900p per share offer from Spanish construction company Grupo Ferrovial. Amid mid-cap gainers was EMI Group, which was up 1.3 percent to 273¼p on rumors that US music group Warner Music might bid for the UK music company. In addition, Morgan Stanley upgraded EMI from “underweight” to “equalweight”.

The equities markets in London were lower on the day, with the FTSE 100 dropping 0.4 percent to 6,083.4 and the FTSE 250 declining by 0.3 percent to 10,108.6. Part of the declines were accounted for by a general lack of interest ahead of a new interest rate decision by the US Federal Reserve.

The retail sector was strong on the day. Electricals retailer DSG International added 7 percent to 207¾p for the biggest gain in the FTSE 100 on the day after it said that profits for the fiscal year to be higher than had been expected due to better sales in the second half of the year. Elsewhere in the sector, GUS added 1.6 percent to £10.71 and Next was up 2.3 percent to £17.66. Helped by bids rumors, Kingfisher added 2.1 percent to 243½p.

Among insurers, Prudential added 1.2 percent to 660p on rumors that rival Aviva was interested in a merger, based on a set of answers to “frequently asked questions” issued at Aviva’s annual meeting of shareholders. Analysts pointed out, however, that Takeover Panel rules stipulate that Aviva cannot offer another bid until September unless the two companies mutually agree to a deal. Aviva was down 0.3 percent on the day to 802p.

There were declines in the oil and pharmaceuticals sectors. BP dropped 1.2 percent to 674½p, while GlaxoSmithKline was down 1 percent to £15.40.

The London equities markets were lower on Monday as banks dropped, with the FTSE 100 down by 0.55 percent to 6,098.7 and the FTSE 250 falling 0.2 percent to 9,949.2.

Alliance & Leicester was down 2.25 percent to £11.28 when a bid that had been in the rumor mill last week was not forthcoming. HBOS was down 1.65 percent to 952p and Lloyds TSB dropped by 1.6 percent to 522p on worries surrounding the domestic mortgage market.

Insurer Prudential dropped 3 percent to 637½p when Morgan Stanley placed 2.25 million shares, nearly 1 percent of the company’s stocks at 642p.

Another loser was GCap Media, down 2.86 percent to 255p on profit-taking after a gain of 19 percent last week.

Imperial Tobacco held steady at £17.60 as it was reported that it has hired two banks to advise it on a possible bid for Franco-Spanish tobacco company Altadis.

Among gainers, EMI added 5.66 percent to 294p after rumors over the weekend that it is ready to resume talks with US company Warner Music concerning a possible merger. Traders were inclined to believe the rumors, but say that there are many details to be settled before a deal can be reached, not the least of which are who will run the new company and where it will be listed.

One of the biggest gainers on the FTSE 250 for the day was drilling contractor Abbot Group, which added 5.26 percent to 340p, its highest share price ever, primarily on its newest acquisition, Songa Drilling.

Despite gains early in the day in London on Tuesday, the FTSE 100 ended the day down by 0.8 percent to 6,016.5, mainly on declines spurred by worries about rising interest rates around the world. The FTSE 250 lost even more, dropping 1.3 percent to 9,743.8. Volume amounted to 3.4 billion shares traded.

The early gains came on advances in the mining sector as metals prices hit new highs yet again. Anglo American added 0.8 percent to £24.25 and Xstrata gained 1.6 percent to £20.05. Both were helped by upgrades from “hold” to “buy” from Deutsche Bank.

The oil sector was also largely higher as crude oil prices rose. Dana Petroleum was up 3.2 percent to £10.70 after Merrill Lynch upped its target share price from £11.50 to £13.50. Not all sector stocks were up, however. Burren Energy dropped 4.8 percent to 907p when Merrill Lynch downgraded its shres from “buy” to “neutral” over problems in its exploration program.

The telecommunications sector was also mixed. Colt Telecom added 4.4 percent to 70½p on renewed bid speculation. But BT Group and Carphone Warehouse both lost ground after Carphone Warehouse announced a plan to offer free broadband to UK customers. BT dropped 2.4 percent to 213p, while Carphone Warehouse was down 1.1 percent to 310p. Vodafone also declined, dropping 2.2 percent to 123½p.

In the retail sector, Marks & Spencer added 3.9 percent to 586p on the announcement that sales were up more than had been expected and on a subsequent reiteration of a “buy” recommendation from Oriel Securities.

Insurer Prudential dropped 2 percent to 654p after Axa said that it was not discussing a bid and was not planning to enter into such talks.

Meanwhile, US stock exchange Nasdaq became the largest shareholder in the London Stock Exchange when it bought out Threadneedle Asset Management’s 35.4 million shares in the LSE and also made a separate purchase of 2.7 million additional shares in the exchange. The purchases took Nasdaq’s stake in the LSE to 14.99 percent, higher than the 10 percent rumor had it that the US company was looking to acquire. The news of the acquisition only was revealed after trading had closed for the day. During the day’s session, shares in the LSE had gained 1 percent to £10.38.

London equities markets were in record territory again on Thursday as the FTSE 100 established another five-year high when it closed up slightly to 6,045.7 and the FTSE 250 added 0.2 percent to end at another all-time high. Volume was at 3.6 billion shares traded.

Utilities ere up after Deutsche Bank issued positive comments on British Energy, which gained 2.4 percent to 694p. National Grid gained 1.1 percent to 578½p, while International Power added 1.3 percent to 291¾p.

Deutsche Bank also helped Corus with an upgraded recommendation, from “hold” to “buy” and a target share price increase from 80p to 100p. The steel maker added 2.6 percent to 89¼p. In other metals, high prices helped copper miner Kazakhmys add 3.1 percent to £12.69. Platinum company Johnson Matthey advanced by 4.9 percent to £15.10.

The banking sector was mixed on bid news. Decreasing talk of an offer took Allaince & Leicester down 2.8 percent to £11.61, but Barclays was up 1.2 percent to 686p on new rumors that Citigroup is considering a bid.

Vodafone added 0.6 percent to 124½p on speculation that the mobile phone group was thinking about entering the fixed line telecommunications market.

In the insurance sector, Prudential gained 4 percent to 677 ½ p on talk that Axa might make a bid. Analysts were mixed on exactly how serious the rumors were, with some saying that some investors could gain on the mere speculation that an offer might be forthcoming.

The online gaming sector was up after indications that efforts in the US to make gambling online illegal were not gathering a great deal of support. PartyGaming added 10 percent to 142½p, while 888 Holdings gained 8.6 percent to 240p and Sportingbet was up 10.6 percent to 421p.

The London equities markets were up on the day Friday and on the week as a whole, largely on substantial gains in the properties sector. The FTSE 100 was up 0.7 percent on Friday and gained 0.6 percent for the week as a whole to close at 6,036.3, the second time this week that it closed above the 6,000 mark. The FTSE 250 was up 0.8 percent on the day and gained 0.9 percent on the week, closing at 9,929.9. Friday’s trading volume amounted to 3.8 billion shares.

Banks were up on the same changes to real estate investment rules that helped the properties sector. Royal Bank of Scotland was up 1 percent to £18.67, while Anglo Irish Bank gained 1.4 percent to €13.44.

Among insurers, Prudential was down 4.8 percent to 681p when Aviva withdrew its bid for the company. However, Aviva reserved the right to renew its offer if another bid for Prudential materialized. This, some analysts said, meant that Aviva was prepared to mount a hostile takeover push. Aviva was up 1.2 percent to 831½p.

In the telecommunications sector, mobile phone operator Vodafone was down 1.4 percent to 125½p in anticipation of a change in European Union regulations on international roaming charges. Elsewhere the sector, Telent was up 2.1 percent to 408½p and Spirent added 8.3 percent to 48¾p as news that Lucent and Alcatel might merge helped the sector as a whole.

London equities markets were lower on Thursday as the FTSE 100 slipped back below the 6,000 level, closing down 0.3 percent to 5,990.1. The FTSE 250 dropped 0.1 percent to 9,865.6. Volume amounted to 3.8 billion shares traded.

Miners were up on the day. Anglo American gained 3.1 percent to £20.78 after it announced that it will double its previously announced share buy-back. This news helped the rest of the sector, and BHP Billiton was up 2.3 percent to 991p.

The retail sector was generally down. Clothing retailer Next dropped 3.7 percent to £16.62 on the news that like-for-like sales dropped by 8.9 percent during the first seven weeks of its fiscal year. Woolworths was down by 0.7 percent to 36¾p on a downgrade from “hold” to “sell” from Deutsche Bank.

Insurer Prudential dropped 0.7 percent to 715½p on concerns that a predicted bidding war for the company would not take place. Rival Aviva, however, gained 0.3 percent to 822p after rumors persisted that it was ready to up its bid for Prudential, made last week.

Supermarket operator Wm Morrison dropped 6 percent to 197½p after it announced a cost-cutting plan after posting the first annual loss in the history of the company. Analysts were not impressed by the plan as outlined.

British Airways ended the session flat at 360¾p on uncertainties over whether unions would approve the airline’s scheme to lower its current large pension deficit.

The London equities markets were down on Monday as the FTSE 100 dropped 0.1 percent to 5,991.7 and the FTSE 250 declined by 0.3 percent to 9,815.0.

Once again, bids and rumours of bids drove trade on the day. In the insurance sector, Prudential was up 10.6 percent to 743½p after it rejected a bid from Aviva, hoping to start a bidding war. Aviva lost 0.2 percent to 848½p after the rebuff. Elsewhere in the sector, Friends Provident gained 2.2 percent to 218¼p, Legal & General gained 0.9 percent to 144¾p, and Royal & Sun Alliance closed 0.4 higher to 140p after losing earlier gains.

BG Group was up 1.2 percent to reach a record share price of 709p on rumors that a major company, perhaps ExxonMobil, would bid on the gas utility.

Homebuilder Crest Nicholson added 4.6 percent to 570½p, for a total gain of 18 percent in a week, after it was said that it could be the target of a bid, perhaps from Bovis Homes. Bovis discounted the rumors.

MFI Furniture was up 0.2 percent to 102¾p despite broker surprise that it has put on 56 percent since last month due to rumors that it might sell its Howden joinery division. Despite the gains, broker Seymour Pierce confirmed its “sell” recommendation and left its target sha

In London on Friday, the FTSE 100 broke the 6,000 level for the first time in five years, rising to 6,044.0 at one point in the day before easing back to close at 5,999.4, up 0.1 percent higher on the day and 1.6 percent higher for the week. The FTSE 250 closed at another all-time high on Friday, gaining 0.3 percent on the day and 4.4 percent on the week to close at 9,845.9.

Bid rumors and actual deals drove the equities markets during the week. Vodafone ended the day down 0.9 percent to 129p even though it reached agreement to sell it’s Japanese unit to Softbank for £8.9 billion. Body Shop, conversely, gained 10.4 percent to 296p on news that it had made a deal with L’Oreal.

Prudential gained 7.1 percent to 672p. The insurer is seen as a bid target for both Axa of France and Aviva. Aviva was up 2.8 percent to 850½p. Another bid target, banker Lloyds TSB, was up 1.1 percent to 551p after new rumors that a US company is interested.

Airport operator BAA dropped 1.2 percent to 828½p after it rejected a bid of 810p per share from Spain’s Grupo Ferrovial.

In the utilities sector, BG Group gained 1.4 percent to 700½p as rumor had a bid coming soon to the gas company.

The London equities markets were up on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 gaining 0.2 percent to 5,965 and the FTSE 250 gaining 0.9 percent to 9,729.0.

Asset managers had a good day on positive comments about the sector from Morgan Stanley. Aberdeen Asset Management gained 6.9 percent to 186p, while Amvescap advanced by 4.2 percent to 550p. Elsewhere in the sector, Deutsche Bank issued an initial “buy” rating and set a 440p share price target on New Star Asset Management, which gained 6.8 percent on the day to 402¾p.

Utilities were up on high electricity prices. British Energy gained 3.9 percent to 646p, while International Power was up 1.1 percent to 277p and National Grid added 0.9 percent to 603½p.

In the retail sector, Woolworths gained 4.1 percent to 37¾p after rumors circulated that the Reuben Brothers have been buying shares in the company.

Insurer Prudential was up 0.9 percent on the day to 609½p on talk that there might be a bid for it soon and ahead of an earnings report due Thursday.

BP gained 2.2 percent to 665p and over 180 million shares in the company were traded after an analyst’s comments that it would be better off if it were to separate its upstream and downstream components.