Mining and energy companies have helped lift the FTSE 100 by 20.25 points, or 0.27%, to 6,981 in early trading.BP (BP.) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA) benefited from a rising oil price on the back of conflict in the Middle East rising 0.3% and 0.6%, respectively. Meanwhile, silver miner Fresnillo (FRES) gaining 3.7% to 780.2p on a positive update.There was some bad news with diversified miner...

UK market open heavily down as weak oil prices continue to weigh and investors turn their backs on utilities. Miners shrug-off some of the economic gloom that has surround the industry of late, particularly from China, with hopes strengthening over further stimulus in Beijing, but Greece concerns still dog market sentiment.The FTSE 100 is slumps close on 70 points in early trade on Monday, or...

Booming output of unconventional oil means the US is on the cusp of overtaking Saudi Arabia as the world's largest producer of liquid petroleum. Data from the International Energy Agency suggests the two countries were neck and neck at around 11.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in August (when oil output and related liquids such as propane and ethane are included) and as we write America may...

Yesterday's modest gains are wiped out as investors cool on equity markets on a quiet end to the week. The FTSE 100 eases off by 17 points in early tradingto 6,623, the blue-chip index's lowest level since early August. Mike Ashley's pile 'em high, sell 'em cheap sports and fashion retailer Sports Direct (SPD) heads the Footsie faller board just a day after backing a Tesco (TSCO) turnaround,...

Interdealer broker ICAP (IAP) topped the losers board this morning, down 6.9% at 300p, after reporting 'extremely challenging' trading conditions in the nine months to 31 December 2012. The FTSE 100 counter is a good proxy for the global banking sector its serves and that activity has tailed off in March perhaps underlines how trading activity could be damaged by global regulatory moves to...