In London this week, the FTSE 100 was up 4.5 percent for the largest weekly percentage gain since March 2003. Friday’s gain was 0.8 percent, and the 100 closed out the week at 5,974.9.

Not all companies posted gains on the week, however. In the insurance sector, Prudential lost 3 percent over the week to 577½p on an unimpressive interim report. Prudential has now lost 22 percent since March, when it turned down an offer from Aviva. Also down was Intercontinental Hotels Group, which lost 4.6 percent to 858½p after Starwood Hotels in the US warned of coming weakness in the second half of the year.

Companies that deal in biofuels were up on the week. Morgan Stanley commenced coverage on two of the companies, Biofuels Corporation and D1 Oils, on Friday, with both companies receiving “equal weight” ratings. Biofuels Corporation was up 7.7 percent to 118½p, while D1 gained 2.6 percent to 251¼p. D1 was also helped by talk of a takeover bid from BP.;

Boots and Alliance UniChem were both up on the eve of their merger as Alliance Boots. On their last day of trade as separate entities, Alliance UniChem was 4.1 percent higher to £10.68 and Boots gained 4.4 percent to 806½p.

Xstrata was the biggest gainer in the blue chips, adding 7.4 percent to £23.01 on the news that Inco has pulled out of the bidding for Falconbridge of Canada, leaving Xstrata an open field for a takeover.

The FTSE 100 ended the day 0.9 percent higher on Thursday, at 5,929.5. It was the fourth day of gains in a row for the blue-chip index, during which time it has gained 3.6 percent, or over 210 points. The FTSE 250 was also up on the day, gaining 0.8 percent to 9,362.

Earnings reports in several sectors helped stocks to advance. Rolls Royce added 5 percent to 442¾p on better than expected half-year results that had Numis Securities raising the target share price on the airplane engine manufacturer from 475p to 525p. Fund manager Amvescap also was higher, by 4.1 percent to 522½p, after releasing its quarterly report. Retailer Kingfisher added 3.5 percent to 244¾p, while Centrica was up 0.1 percent to 292¾p.

But not all advances on the day were related to earnings reports. SAB Miller added 1.5 percent to £10.44 on a strengthening of the South African rand. The brewer makes a substantial amount of its money in South Africa.

Miners were up on higher copper prices and on upgrades from UBS. Kazakhmys was up 6.4 percent to £12.61, while Antofagasta gained 4.8 percent to 416½p and Vedanta Resources added 4.7 percent to £13.21. Xstrata was 5.2 percent higher to £21.41 on the news that it will purchase another 5 percent of Canadian nickel producer Falconbridge, for which it has made a bid.

In the pharmaceutical sector, AstraZeneca was 3.3 percent lower to £13.75 on a disappointing outlook statement that was issued along with its quarterly report.

The London equities markets were higher again on Tuesday, with the FTSE 100 gaining 0.3 percent to 5,851.2 and the FTSE 250 also up 0.3 percent to 9,248.5. Volume was up from Monday, with 2.6 billion shares changing hands during the session.

Boots Group and Alliance UniChem were each 2.1 percent higher, to 766p and £10.18 respectively. The gains came ahead of Monday’s scheduled completion of a merger between the two companies. JP Morgan issued a positive comment.

Brewer Scottish & Newcastle was up 2.4 percent to 533½p ahead of an expected positive half-year report due next month.

British Airways added 3 percent to 384¼p, a five-year high, as oil prices fell and in anticipation of positive earnings news next month. Morgan Stanley upped its target share price on BA to 480p and said that revenue growth predictions will have to be increased by at least 7 percent after the air carrier releases its next report on August 4.

In the pharmaceutical sector, Shire gained 2.9 percent to 852½p on the news that it has gained permission to sell its treatment for Hunter syndrome in the United States.

Cadbury Schweppes, which issues its half-year report on August 2, dropped 1.4 percent to 515p on rumors that it will issue a profits warning. The talk was based at least partly on ABN Amro’s lowered forecast, in which it cited rising costs and a recent salmonella problem in explaining its position.

Among small caps, Central African Mining & Exploration Company (Camec) was up 3.5 percent to 59p. Credit Suisse initiated coverage on Camec with an “overweight” rating and a target share price of 100p. Camec is starting to mine copper and cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In London on Monday the FTSE 100 was 2 percent higher, to 5,833.9 as quarterly reports continued to come in. The 100 as a whole was helped by the news that US hospital chain HCA is being purchased by a consortium that includes Bain Capital and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts for $21 billion. Meanwhile, the FTSE 250 also saw gains, closing the day at 9,223.5.

Vodafone gained 3.6 percent to 115¼p when it announced that revenues grew by 4.5 percent in the first quarter. Even so, its head in Europe will leave as revenues in German and Italy were down.

In the online gaming sector, PartyGaming seemed to be attempting to recover from last week’s losses by adding 8 percent to 104½p.

Plumber Wolseley added 3.1 percent to £11.12 when it said it has purchased DT Group, a Nordic building materials supplier.

Amvescap said it would buy the private equity group owned by US investor Wilbur Ross, sending its shares up by 4.8 percent to 481¾p.

Bids rumors sent Whitbread 6.1 percent higher to £12.44 after it was said that Starwood Capital had an offer ready. The news spurred Panmure Gordon to reconfirm its “buy” recommendation and 1370p target share price on Whitbread.

On the losing side, GCap Media fell 7.5 percent to 197½p on an announcement of revenues lower than expected in the March through June quarter.

While both the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 saw declines during the day on Friday, both managed to end the week slightly higher. The 100 dropped 0.9 percent to 5,719.7, while the 250 was 1 percent lower to 9,114.2 on a volume of 2.7 billion shares traded. The 100 was up by 0.2 percent on the week and the 250 had a weekly gain of 0.4 percent.

The mining sector was an instrumental part of Friday’s losses. Miners were hurt by worries that China’s demand for metals might decrease due to banking moves. Rio Tinto dropped 3.8 percent to £26.63, while Vedanta Resources was down 4.3 percent to £12.46 and Antofagasta fell 4.8 percent to 389½p.

Ultra Electronics was down 5.4 percent to £10.40 on the news that it is not talking with Finmeccanica, the Italian aerospace company. Analysts, however, tended to believe that the fact that Ultra did not lose all of Thursday’s 15 percent advance meant that such a deal was not out of the question.

Online gaming remained erratic as PartyGaming gained 10.9 percent to 96¾p after its 7.4 percent loss Thursday. The advance came after PartyGaming’s chief executive said that he was not concerned about BetOnSports’ indictment in the United States, saying that his company’s practices are nothing like those of the troubled gaming company.

Cadbury Schweppes declined by 1.1 percent to 518p on rumors that it fallout from a ruling from the Health Protection Agency that it was responsible for a Dairy Milk salmonella outbreak might cost the company £30 million.

Equities markets in London were mixed on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 dropping 0.1 percent to 5,770.9 but the FTSE 250 up by 22.8 points to 9,207.2.

The aerospace sector managed gains on the day. Ultra Electronics, which supplies targeting systems for fighter aircraft, added 15.1 percent to £11 on bids rumors. BAE Systems was up by 1.8 percent to 347¼p, while Rolls Royce advanced by 1.1 percent to 411¼p.

Airlines also saw their shares advance. British Airways was up 3 percent to 368¼p on anticipation of broker upgrades after it reports its quarterly figures next month and as oil prices declined. Meanwhile, EasyJet gained 4.7 percent to 436½p.

BSkyB advanced by 2.5 percent to 544¼p, after its chief executive presented information on its new broadband business to Deutsche Bank.

The internet gaming sector did not fare as well. SportingBet dropped 3 percent to 174¾p, while PartyGaming was 7.4 percent lower to 87¼p and 888 Holdings fell 9.4 percent to 161p, all on concerns that US shareholders will sell their holdings now that the US Department of Justice is taking measures against gambling on the internet.

Other big losers included MFI Furniture, which was down 20 percent to 85p, and Colt Telecom, 23.3 percent lower to 436½p.

Both the FTSE 100 and the FTSE 250 were lower in London on Tuesday as the online gaming sector saw further losses. Also affecting investor sentiment was a report that inflation in the UK was up more than had been expected, which could in turn lead to a hike in interest rates from the Bank of England.

The 100 was 0.3 percent lower on the session to 5,681.7, bringing its losses to 3 percent in the past four days. Meanwhile, the 250 dropped 0.5 percent to 8,968.8.

The utilities sector had a good day, however. Kelda Group gained 4.2 percent to 844p on bids rumors. Kelda has added 7.1 percent in three sessions. Severn Trent was up 2.2 percent to £12.21, while Pennon Group advanced by 2.1 percent to £13.99. United Utilities added 1.7 percent to 637p on an upgrade to “buy” from Dresdner Kleinwort. Scottish & Southern was up 1.6 percent to £11.66.

Also seeing an advance was British American Tobacco, up 1.5 percent to £13.70 on a “buy” recommendation from JP Morgan.

BSkyB was down 4.3 percent to 517½p as investors worried about the satellite broadcaster’s plan to spend £400 million on its new broadband offering.

The online gaming sector was hit hard by the news that a grand jury in the United States had field charges against BetOnSports. Traing in BetOnSports shares was suspended at 122½p. 888 Holdings dropped 12.7 percent to 168½p, while PartyGaming fell 17.2 percent to 85¼p, SportingBet declined 35.5 percent to 182p, and World Gaming was down 38 percent to 69½p.

The London equities markets were lower on Monday, primarily due to declines in the mining sector. The losses were tempered somewhat late in the day, following a rally in the New York markets. The FTSE 100 ended up just 0.12 percent lower at 5,701, while the FTSE 250 was down 0.65 percent to 9,017.1. Volume was again low, with only 2.4 billion shares traded.

Another sector that saw substantial losses was online gaming. 888 Holdings was down 3.5 percent to 193. PartyGaming dropped 5.5 percent to 103p, while SportingBet fell 13 percent to 282p and BetOnSports declined by 15.6 percent to 122½p. A major reason for the declines in this sector was the detention by US authorities of David Carruthers, chief executive of BetOnSports.

Among miners, BHP Billiton was down 1 percent to £10.10, while Rio Tinto dropped 1.8 percent to £26.76. Anglo American fell 1.3 percent to £12.07 on a steep drop in the price of gold. A similar decline in the price of copper sent Kazakhmys 2.9 percent lower to £11.56 and Antofagasta was down 3.3 percent to 405p. Copper prices dropped when a six-week strike by mine workers in Mexico was ended. Xstrata was 3.7 percent lower to £19.86 as investors worried that it might submit a higher bid for Falconbridge, the Canadian nickel producer.

Elsewhere, BSkyB added 1.5 percent to 541p on a reiteration UBS “buy” recommendation as the pay-TV operator readied the launch of internet broadband.

The London equities markets were down for the day on Friday and over the week as a whole, with the FTSE 100 dropping 1 percent during the day to 5,707.6, a decline of 3.1 percent during the week. The FTSE 250 was down even more, falling 1.1 percent to 9,076 during Friday’s session for a total loss of 3.8 percent this week.

After dropping as low as 690p during the week, Aviva closed 0.7 percent higher on Friday at 695p. The earlier losses came as investors were unhappy with the life assurer’s purchase of AmerUS for £1.6 billion. The worry was that it would be the beginning of a series of US acquisitions, although Aviva’s chief executive said that the present deal satisfied the company’s goals in the United States. Merrill Lynch upgraded Aviva to “buy”, saying that the deal was advantageous for the company.

The mining sector was lower as Rio Tinto dropped 3 percent to £27.25. Vedanta Resources saw declines as well, falling 0.2 percent to £13.33. JP Morgan raised Vedanta’s target share price from £18.25 to £19.65 based on its exposure to both copper and zinc as well as its growth.

British Airways was 2.4 percent lower to 346½p as oil prices continued to rise due to increasing political tensions in the Middle East. The same price hikes sent BP 0.3 percent higher to 643p.

The equities markets in London took significant losses on Thursday as 2.9 billion shares changed hands during the day. The FTSE 100 fell 1.6 percent to 5,765 as miners fell substantially, while the media sector took the FTSE 250 2 percent lower to 9,176.2.

In the mining sector, BHP Billiton was down 3.9 percent to £10.51, Lonmin dropped 4.4 percent to £27.77, and Vedanta Resources fell 5.2 percent to £13.36. The losses reflected investor reluctance to take any risks at the present time.

On the other hand, oil exploration stocks rose with crude oil prices. Premier Oil added 0.8 percent to 957p, while Dana Petroleum gained 1.6 percent to £10.97.

In the media sector, EMI dropped 9.2 percent to 277¾p on the news that a European court had overruled the European Union’s approval of a merger between Sony Music and BMG as investors worried that the ruling might affect the proposed EMI/Warner deal, Meanwhile, Emap fell 14.9 percent to 712p after issuing a negative trading statement.

In the banking sector, Standard Chartered was down by 2.9 percent to £12.49 on concerns that it will need to raise $5 billion (£2.7 billion) if it wins the bidding for LG Card, the largest credit card issuer in South Korea. Analysts also pointed out that, with Standard Chartered’s purchase of Korea First Bank last year, the acquisition of LG Card would leave SC too heavily exposed to South Korea.

Gains on the FTSE 100 were few and limited. Rising oil prices took BP up just 0.1 percent to 641p. National grid gained 0.3 percent to 590p, while Tesco added 0.9 percent to 335p.