London’s FTSE 100 was down 0.5% at 7,089.88 points by midday on Monday as weak Chinese trade figures, lower commodity prices and a rise in global coronavirus infections hit the index.
The decline in gold to levels last seen in May appeared to have little impact on the sector, while crude oil’s fall had a modest impact on BP (BP.), which slipped 2.2% to 301p.
The more UK domestically focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index fell 0.2% to 23,410.29 points.
STOCKS ON THE MOVE
Inhaler group Vectura (VEC) gained 5.2% to 173p after tobacco company Philip Morris upped its bid for the company to 165p ($2.29) per share.
Deliveroo (ROO) jumped 8% to 351.2p after its German rival Delivery Hero took a 5.09% stake in the British food delivery company.
Global recruiter PageGroup (PAGE) dropped 4.7% to 594p, the biggest mid-cap faller, even after it said it would spend £100 million on shareholder returns as trading conditions improved in the first half.
On the face of it results from the funds supermarket group Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) appeared robust. The market, however, was unimpressed with the shares plunging 11.3% to £14.55.
Shares in H&T (HAT:AIM) rallied 3.3% to 282p as the pawnbroker delivered better than expected first half profits as its pawnbroking and retail performance more than offset a slightly worse than anticipated showing from gold purchasing and pawnbroking scrap.
H&T also reported cash balances of £32.5 million, underpinning a larger than expected interim dividend of 4p (H1 2020: 2.5p). Management plans to increase the shareholder reward back to pre-pandemic levels as soon as possible.
