Assetco Share News (ASTO)

London closed near to its low for the day as a decline on Wall Street dragged the market lower later in the day and there were concerns about the possible effects of the Japanese earthquake on financial markets and global economies.Miners Rio Tinto, Xstrata, African Barrick and ENRC are the pick of the mining sector. Also going well is temporary power solutions provider Aggreko, which may find its services called upon extensively in the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake. Luxury goods supplier Burberry is lower because of its big exposure in Japan.Insurers are mixed. A second explosion occurred at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant on Monday following a blast on Saturday. The blast occurred at the plant's No. 3 reactor building, according to Tokyo Electric Power, the operator. The power company said the reactor's protective containment shell remained intact after the blast. An explosion similar in nature destroyed the plant's No.1 reactor on Saturday. There are increasing concerns about the third reactor on the site. London-based underwriter Chaucer says it does not expect any significant losses from the problems afflicting the three nuclear plants shut down in the North-East of Japan, but cannot yet quantify its other exposure.The statement has prevented the company's share price from suffering the severe mark down that has affected fellow underwriters Catlin and Beazley. Elsewhere in the insurance sector Aviva and RSA Insurance are both off the pace. The dangers associated with nuclear power stations seems to have persuaded the market to reassess the merits of coal fired power stations, judging by the demand for shares in power station operator Drax Group. It could also benefit from higher electricity prices as Japan buys more gas in order to make up for the loss of nuclear power output. Higher gas prices would work their way through to higher electricity prices. Housebuilder Bovis Homes didn't disappoint with full-year results towards the top end of forecasts, a first dividend since 2008, and an "encouraging" start to the current year. It made a pre-tax profit of £18.5m, up from £7.5m in 2009, driven by higher volumes, price increases and cost cutting. Revenue rose to £298.6m from £281.5m last time. The sale of its magazine printing business has made St Ives one of the best performers on the day. Troubled sportswear retailer JJB Sports has responded to press speculation about its fund raising plans, and said the company expects its impending share placing will raise around £65m.Shares of care homes operator Southern Cross Healthcare sank over 60% after it walked away from offer talks and warned that it had seen a decline in its trading outlook since February 2011. The group also said its lenders are aware of an impending banking covenant breach but remain fully supportive of the actions which the company is taking to address its problems. AIM-quoted GGG Resources is making a contested takeover offer for ASX-listed mineral exploration outfit Auzex Resources, the company with which it shares ownership of the Bullabulling gold project. GGG is offering seven of its shares for every five Auzex shares held in a deal that values Auzex at about A$94.9m. GGG plans an ASX listing. Cash-strapped outsourced fire services provider AssetCo says it has rejected an "opportunistic" bid approach from Arcapita Bank. It later transpired that the company's chief executive John Shannon supported the approach. Arcapita is considering its options. AssetCo has entered into a short-term loan facility of £1.45m with its principle banker to meet certain critical payments that need to be made before it received the funds from its proposed £16m placing.Pennsylvania-focused coal miner Atlantic Coal has secured an option to buy a 158 acre anthracite mining property near to its existing assets in the state. "We have been actively looking to expand our portfolio in the Pennsylvanian Anthracite Field, where our Stockton mine is located, and we believe this asset, with the right investment, has the potential to add value going forward as it could significantly increase our coal resources," said Atlantic's managing director, Steve Best.Japan Leisure Hotels, which rents out rooms by the hour, says its biggest hotel has been left intact even though it is in Sendai, the city that was devastated by the Japanese earthquake. The hotel building did sustain damage and it has been closed while it is being assessed.Less than two weeks after accepting the role of non-executive chairman of surf wear brand Hot Tuna International, Melissa Sturgess has decided she is too busy to do the job. Oil producer Aminex said its one-for-six open offer of 96.1m shares was oversubscribed by around 27%.FTSE 100 - Risers Aggreko (AGK) 1,523.00p +8.24%BG Group (BG.) 1,514.00p +3.70%Vedanta Resources (VED) 2,230.00p +1.64%Schroders (Non-Voting) (SDRC) 1,389.00p +1.24%Serco Group (SRP) 581.50p +1.04%Schroders (SDR) 1,771.00p +0.91%African Barrick Gold (ABG) 518.50p +0.88%Intertek Group (ITRK) 1,925.00p +0.63%Experian (EXPN) 744.00p +0.54%Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 1,398.00p +0.50%FTSE 100 - Fallers Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,123.00p -4.34%Amec (AMEC) 1,115.00p -3.21%Aviva (AV.) 440.00p -3.06%Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 278.50p -2.62%Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 1,756.00p -2.61%Standard Life (SL.) 217.50p -2.55%Sage Group (SGE) 264.20p -2.40%National Grid (NG.) 555.50p -2.37%Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 41.85p -2.33%Capital Shopping Centres Group (CSCG) 375.50p -2.21%FTSE 250 - Risers Imagination Technologies Group (IMG) 460.10p +5.48%EnQuest (ENQ) 148.70p +3.99%Heritage Oil (HOIL) 332.20p +3.91%Pace (PIC) 171.00p +3.26%Drax Group (DRX) 408.70p +3.13%Centamin Egypt Ltd. (CEY) 132.00p +3.12%Bovis Homes Group (BVS) 442.50p +3.00%Croda International (CRDA) 1,601.00p +2.89%Tullett Prebon (TLPR) 405.50p +2.71%CSR (CSR) 378.50p +2.69%FTSE 250 - Fallers Kenmare Resources (KMR) 36.92p -5.33%Brown (N.) Group (BWNG) 256.40p -5.18%JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 886.50p -4.68%FirstGroup (FGP) 334.00p -3.86%Dixons Retail (DXNS) 16.50p -3.85%Synergy Health (SYR) 808.00p -3.46%Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CW.) 66.40p -3.42%Aegis Group (AGS) 135.00p -3.23%Catlin Group Ltd. (CGL) 338.70p -3.17%Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP) 336.70p -2.88%