The FTSE 100 ended the day and the week ahead on Friday, while the FTSE 250 saw declines for both the session and this week. The 100 added 0.1 percent during the day and was 0.3 percent higher on the week to close at 6,239. Meanwhile the 250 dropped 0.1 percent on Friday and 0.7 percent on the week to 11,111.7.

The pharmaceuticals sector was helped by a vote in the US House of Representatives that would let the government negotiate directly with drug companies on the prices of drugs for Medicare recipients. GlaxoSmithKline was 0.5 percent higher to £13.71, while AstraZeneca gained 1.3 percent to £28.73.

Bids rumors sent Woolworths up 3 percent to 34p. Baugur, which currently owns 10 percent of the retailer, is said to be considering offering a bid of 40p per share. Ladbrokes was helped by talk of a possible bid from private equity, gaining 2.4 percent to 449¼p.

In the oil sector, BP was 1.8 percent higher to 546½p on the news that its chief executive will retire in July, to be replaced by the company’s head of exploration and production.

Lloyds TSB added 1.7 percent to 593p on the possibility that its dividend could go up and after Cazenove upped its recommendation to “outperform”.

The equities markets in London saw gains on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 adding 1.1 percent to 5,890 and the FTSE 250 up 0.4 percent to 9,461.6 on a volume of 2.6 billion shares.

Of the total number of shares traded, 93 million belonged to foods manufacturer RHM. The shares, 26.6 percent of the company, were sold at 266p per share. RHM ended the session 2.2 percent higher at 274½p.

In the banking sector, Northern Rock added 2.1 percent to £10.53 after Merrill Lynch advised its clients to buy Northern Rock and to sell Alliance & Leicester after Credit Agricole decided not to offer for A&L. A&L dropped 2.7 percent to £10.55.

Rentokil Initial added 2.7 percent to 159½p on talk that a private equity group has bid 185p per share for the pest control company.

In the tobacco sector, British American Tobacco was up 2.6 percent to £14.16 after the Florida Supreme Court confirmed a lower court ruling that threw out a damage award to $145 billion (£79 billion) against the US tobacco industry. BAT owns 42 percent of US cigarette manufacturer Reynolds American.

Retailer Woolworths added 5.6 percent to 33p as Morgan Stanley began coverage with an “overweight” recommendation and a target share price of 38p.

In London on Tuesday, the equities markets were up on the day with the FTSE 100 adding 0.6 percent to 6105.6. The FTSE 250 was up just marginally but still managed to close at an all-time high of 10,135.4.

In the telecommunications sector, Vodafone added 3.2 percent to 130p as Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein said that the sale of Vodafone’s share of Verizon Wireless, said to be close, could realize as much as $40 billion to $50 billion. Elsewhere in the sector, Carphone Warehouse gained 1.4 percent to 359¼p after Bear Stearns said that it could jump up to the FTSE 100.

In the retail sector, Marks & Spencer was up 1.1 percent to 627p on the possibility that a share buyback will be announced later this month when full-year earnings data are announced. Meanwhile, home improvement retailer Kingfisher also gained 1.1 percent, helped by new data from the Land Registry that home sales were up by one-third in the first quarter of the year. UBS raised Kingfisher’s rating to “buy” from “neutral” and set its target share price at 285p. Woolworths added 2.3 percent to 33½p after Deutsche Bank said it thinks the retailer’s profits will be better next year.

Confectioners Cadbury Schweppes was up 0.9 percent to 550½p on new rumors that US companies Kraft and Hershey are both interested in bidding for the company.

In London on Tuesday, the FTSE 100 added 1 percent to 6,082.1 as oil companies and miners saw gains as commodities prices continue to rise, while the FTSE250 was up 0.46 percent to 9,924.4.

In the mining sector, Kazakhmys gained 4.9 percent to £11.94, as Xstrata added 4 percent to £20.63 and Antofagasta was up 3.65 percent to £24.40.

Cairn Energy hit a new record high share price, adding 5.25 percent to £24.48 with an upgrade to “buy” and a raised target share price of £27.50 from Merrill Lynch. Elsewhere in the sector, BG group was up 3.6 percent to 763½p and BP gained 1.7 percent to 688p.

Retailers also saw gains on the day, with Woolworths adding 2.3 percent to 33½p on rumors that the Reuben brothers could be interested. JBB Sports gained 1.8 percent to 183¼p.

The media sector did not do as well on the day. GCap Media dropped 4.7 percent to 242p on rumors that its flagship station, Capital 95.8FM was not getting as much of an audience as hoped for and on negative comments from Deutsche Bank. Meanwhile, ITV was down 1.3 percent to 113½p on a drop in advertising, despite the upcoming World Cup.

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 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.