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Market movers: BHP Billiton, Royal Mail, Enterprise Inns, Westminster, Fitbug, Stellar Resources...

Last updated: 20:15 19 Nov 2014 AEDT, First published: 21:15 19 Nov 2014 AEDT

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London’s blue chips made a mixed start with early gains wiped out by losses among big mining firms.

Overall, FTSE 100 was 3 points down at 6,795.

London-listed miners were struggling as the price of iron ore plunged below US$75.

The three titans bore the brunt of the selling with Anglo American (LON:AAL) 25p lower at 1338p, Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) off 59p to 2945p while BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) shed 25p to 1634p. 

Oilers were also slipping again with the crude price. Tullow Oil (LON:TLW) down 6p to 469p and BG Group (LON:BG.) 13p lower to 1025p were the worst affected.

Product-tester Intertek Group (LON:ITRK) was the worst performer and shed more than 7% on disappointing revenues.

The FTSE100 inspection firm said organic revenue growth declined 0.7% as its European business slowed.

“Underlying weak market conditions for our commodities and oil and gas capex-related businesses have not improved in the second half,” said chief executive Wolfhart Hauser.

Intertek shares were 197p lower at 2,456p. 

Supermarkets were also in the red with Sainsbury (LON:SBRY) and Morrisons (LON:MRW) lower, though Tesco bucked the trend to rise 2p to 95p. 

The grocer could be about to dump PwC, its auditor of 31 years, over failures to spot the accounting problems that led to a black hole in its books.

AstraZeneca (LON:AZN) was the standout riser, up at 89p to 4774p as the date when Pfizer can bid again draws nearer.

Royal Mail (LON:RMG) shares fell 23p to 446p after tough competition from Amazon dented first half profits. 

Pub groups suffered after MPs decided to give tenants more freedom over buying their beer.

Mid-capper Enterprise Inns (LON:ENT) lost 17p to 100p while Punch Taverns (LON:PUB) dropped 14p to 137p. 

In the junior space, Stellar Resources (LON:STG) shares jumped 50% to 0.5p.

The firm owns a gold joint venture in Wales and says it is evaluating latest results from a recent underground sampling programme.

Security and managed services firm Westminster (LON:WSG) has secured a 21 year deal to run a newly constructed ferry terminal in West Africa with revenue potential of US$300mln. Shares rose 18% to 34p. 

Baobab Resources (LON:BAO) jumped 12% to 6p after regulators accepted its application for a mining title on its Tete project in Mozambique.

Investors can’t get enough of technology fitness specialist Fitbug (LON:FITB).

The shares were up again this morning and continued a stellar run, which has seen a share price jump close to 2500% in the past two weeks.

Blur Group (LON:BLUR) traded lower, down 16% to 61p. 

The s-commerce company said full-year will be hit by some large projects not starting until early next year but added it was pleased with operational progress.

Landore Resources (LON:LND) dipped 9% to 2p despite saying it had hit “highly promising” indications of nickel, platinum and palladium at its Junior Lake prospect in Ontario.

Australian Strategic Materials signs US$600 million LoI

Rowena Smith, CEO and managing director of Australian Strategic Materials Ltd (ASX:ASM, OTC:ASMMF), joins Jonathan Jackson in the Proactive studio to discuss the company’ s Dubbo Project, in Central West New South Wales. This project aims to extract and process critical minerals and rare earth...

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