LONDON (Alliance News) - Stocks in London ended mixed on Monday with the FTSE 100 easing from its multi-year highs seen last week, as bookmakers benefited from a sports betting ruling in the US. The FTSE 100 index closed down 0.2%, or 13.57 points at 7,710.98. The FTSE 250 ended up 0.1%, or 15.39 points, at 20,800.95, and the AIM All-Share closed up 0.3%, or 3.52 points, at 1,084.31.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.2% at 13,081.23, the Cboe 250 closed up 0.1% at 19,042.37, and the Cboe Small Companies ended flat at 12,745.98."European markets drifted lower today as a lack of new positive news prompted traders to bank recent profits. Last week we saw multi-week highs on major European equity markets, so a bit of a pullback isn't a surprise. Stock markets in Europe have snapped out of the negative trends they were in during March, and today's nudge lower might attract fresh buyers," said David Madden, market analyst at CMC Markets.On the London Stock Exchange, bookmakers and gaming companies were higher on the news that the US Supreme Court struck down a federal law banning the practice of legalised sports gambling in New Jersey, the Financial Times reported.In a 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court said the act unlawfully "commandeered" states' right to legislate on matters not expressly reserved to the federal government in the constitution.In 2014, the state of New Jersey had tried to strike down a law prohibiting gambling on college sports at horseracing tracks and casinos, however sports leagues had blocked the move, arguing that at the district and appellate level that the New Jersey had violated a 1992 law passed by Congress called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.
Paddy Power Betfair ended as the best blue chip performer, up 13%, while midcap peers
888 Holdings,
William Hill and
GVC Holdings closed up 15%, 11% and 7.4% respectively. The FTSE 350 Travel & Leisure Sector, which houses London's bookmakers and gambling companies, closed as the best performing sector, up 1.6%. In the FTSE 100,
Centrica closed up 0.9% after the British Gas parent company said the first four months of 2018 had been "good," despite losing energy customers and expecting lower oil and gas production for the full year than it had previously. For the four months ended April, the group said it expected adjusted operating cash flow between GBP2.10 billion and GBP2.30 billion. Closing net debt is anticipated between GBP2.50 billion and GBP3.00 billion. Centrica expects to pay a full-year dividend per share of 12.0 pence, flat on the year prior. During the first four months of the year, Centrica generated GBP200 million in additional efficiency savings. This is part of its increased GBP1.25 billion per year cost efficiency programme. At the other end of the large cap index,
BT Group ended up a second worst performer down 2.4% after a report from The Daily Telegraph on Sunday said Virgin Media and
TalkTalk Telecom Group are discussing a broadband cost sharing agreement in a bid to increase pressure on the telecommunications giant. TalkTalk closed up 0.4%. In the FTSE 250,
IWG ended as the star performer up 22% after the serviced office provider said late Friday that it received an approach from Lone Star Europe Acquisitions as well as two separate indicative cash proposals from private equity firms Starwood Capital European Operations and TDR Capital regarding a potential bid. The company, which was formerly called Regus, said it was evaluating the rival bids and would update investors in due course. It emphasised that there was no certainty an offer would be made. In addition, Peel Hunt raised the stock to Buy from Hold as it envisages IWG going private as the most likely scenario.At the other end of the midcap index,
Entertainment One closed as the worst performer down 4.1% after the Toronto, Canada-headquartered television and film production company said its political drama series 'Designated Survivor' will no longer be broadcast on Walt Disney owned US television network ABC, as it looks for a new broadcaster for the future. The firm said the ABC would no longer broadcast Designated Survivor, starring Kiefer Sutherland, past its current series - which began in September 2016. The decision will have "no impact" on the group's results for the financial year ended March. For the next financial year, however, the decision may have a "modest" impact on earnings. This depends on the outcome of the "active discussions" it is having with other parties with regards to future series.
Victrex was the second worst performer, closing down 3.2% as the hiked its interim dividend declared a special dividend for the full year, after profit and revenue jumped on strong volumes growth. However, the speciality chemicals company noted currency pressures could hinder earnings in the second half.The pound was firm quoted at USD1.3584 at the London equities close, compared to USD1.3536 at close on Friday.In Paris the CAC 40 ended flat, while the DAX 30 in Frankfurt ended down 0.2%. The euro was firm at USD1.1974 at the European equities close, against USD1.1958 at the same time on Friday. Stocks in New York were higher at the London equities close amid easing trade tensions ahead of a second round of trade talks between the US and China this week.Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is due to travel to Washington this week to meet with President Donald Trump's economic team.Trump expressed optimism about trade talks with China in a subsequent tweet despite claiming past negotiations have been one-sided in favor of Beijing."China and the US are working well together on trade, but past negotiations have been so one sided in favor of China, for so many years, that it is hard for them to make a deal that benefits both countries," Trump tweeted. "But be cool, it will all work out!"The DJIA was up 0.5%, the S&P 500 index up 0.3% and the Nasdaq Composite up 0.5%, with the major indices touching their highest levels in over two months. Brent oil was quoted at USD77.95 a barrel at the London equities close from USD77.24 at the equities close on Friday. The North Sea benchmark touched an intraday high of USD78.25 in afternoon trade - its highest level since November 2014. Meanwhile, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries raised its forecast for non-OPEC production due to the US shale oil boom. The cartel also lifted its demand forecast but warned about possible negative implications from US trade squabbles.OPEC expects the world to consume 98.85 million barrels a day, up 1.65 million barrels a day from last year.Gold was a touch lower quoted at USD1,319.29 an ounce at the London equities close against USD1,322.00 late Friday.The economic events calendar on Tuesday has China retail sales figures at 0300 BST, Germany first quarter GDP readings at 0700 BST, France inflation data at 0745 BST, UK unemployment data at 0930 BST and eurozone first quarter GDP readings at 1000 BST. The UK corporate calendar on Tuesday has full year results from telecommunications firm
Vodafone, commercial property company
Land Securities and Irish distribution group
DCC. There are also half year results from budget airline
easyJet and a trading statement from stockbroker
Hargreaves Lansdown.
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