Last checked at 
(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London opened lower on Monday amid worries that Russia will invade Ukraine, while shares in Unilever rose on a report that a prominent US investor had built a stake in the consumer goods firm.
Ukraine on Monday said it was "premature" of the US to evacuate the families of its diplomatic staff in Kyiv due to fears of a looming Russian invasion. Washington also authorised the "voluntary" departure of its non-essential embassy staff and urged US citizens to leave the ex-Soviet country.
The West says Russia has been massing tens of thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine, along with an arsenal of tanks, fighting vehicles, artillery and missiles. The Kremlin insists its forces are not there to invade.
The FTSE 100 index was down 5.24 points, or 0.1%, at 7,488.89 early Monday. The mid-cap FTSE 250 index was down 97.87 points, or 0.4%, at 22,165.37. The AIM All-Share index was down 6.89 points, or 0.6%, at 1,125.19.
The Cboe UK 100 index was down 0.1% at 744.17. The Cboe 250 was down 0.4% at 19,890.24 and the Cboe Small Companies down 0.6% at 15,528.49.
In mainland Europe, the CAC 40 stock index in Paris was down 0.5%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt was down 0.6%.
"The apparently worsening of relations between Russia and Ukraine has put investors on alert, as any possible attacks by Russia will have wider implications which other major powers will be unable to ignore. Whether this results in military action or strict sanctions remains to be seen, but in any event the developments are adding to general investor unease," commented interactive investor's Richard Hunter.
In the FTSE 100, Unilever was the best performer, up 5.0%. Trian Partners has built a stake in the Dove soap maker, turning up the pressure on the FTSE 100 company after its failed pursuit of GlaxoSmithKline's consumer health business, the Financial Times reported at the weekend.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the newspaper said Nelson Peltz's activist hedge fund had taken an unspecified position in the Unilever shares, adding to the challenges facing Chief Executive Officer Alan Jope.
The FT said people with knowledge of the stakebuilding did not provide details on its size or when precisely it began.
Hargreaves Lansdown was up 3.0% after Bank of America upgraded the fund supermarket to Buy from Neutral.
At the other end of the large-caps, Barratt Developments was the worst performer, down 3.5%, after Jefferies downgraded the housebuilder to Hold from Buy.
In the FTSE 250, Computacenter was the best performer, up 2.5%. The IT services provider said it finished 2021 with a strong fourth quarter, which was ahead of its expectations.
The Hatfield, England-based firm estimates that adjusted pretax profit for 2021 was slightly in excess of GBP250 million. Adjusted pretax profit had risen by 37% to GBP200.5 million in 2020.
Computacenter also said it will deliver its "seventeenth year of uninterrupted earnings per share growth" despite pressures from a strong pound and product supply shortages. Total revenue for 2021 grew by 23% including the effects of acquisitions made since the beginning of 2020, and by 27% in constant currency. Revenue had risen by 7.7% in 2020 to GBP5.44 billion from GBP5.05 billion in 2019.
During the recent year, Computacenter said it experienced the highest growth in Services revenue for the last 20 years, coupled with continued strength from Technology Sourcing product sales which was more broadly based in 2021 than the previous year.
Elsewhere, M&C Saatchi was up 3.4%. AdvancedAdvT said it has improved its takeover offer for the advertising agency to include a cash element, but this has been rejected by the M&C Saatchi's independent directors.
AdvancedAdvt offered 1.633 AdvancedAdvt shares plus 40 pence cash for each M&C Saatchi share. The offer was an alternative to an all-share offer of 2.245 AdvancedAdvt shares for each M&C Saatchi share.
AdvancedAdvt also said it would move its shares to AIM, where M&C Saatchi currently is listed, from the London Main Market as part of M&C Saatchi offer. But following the rejection, AdvancedAdvT said it is "considering its options".
Vin Murria, the executive chair of AdvancedAdvT, is a M&C Saatchi director as well. AdvancedAdvT also is backed by Marwyn Investment Management.
In Asia on Monday, the Japanese Nikkei 225 index ended up 0.2%. In China, the Shanghai Composite finished flat, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong lost 1.3%. The S&P/ASX 200 in Sydney closed down 0.5%.
The pound was quoted at USD1.3552 early Monday, marginally higher from USD1.3550 at the London equities close Friday.
On the political front, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing a make-or-break week for his premiership with his future in No 10 hanging in the balance.
Johnson is braced for the delivery of the Sue Gray report into Downing Street drinking parties during lockdown which could determine his fate. Many Tory MPs have said they will wait to see the findings before deciding whether to push for a vote of confidence which could see him forced out.
The euro was priced at USD1.1322, down from USD1.1343. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar was trading at JPY113.68, lower on JPY113.75.
Brent oil was quoted at USD88.40 a barrel on Monday morning, up from USD87.74 late Friday. Gold stood at USD1,838.40 an ounce, higher against USD1,833.20.
The economic events calendar on Monday has PMI readings from Germany, eurozone, the UK and US at 0830 GMT, 0900 GMT, 0930 GMT and 1445 GMT respectively.
By Arvind Bhunjun; arvindbhunjun@alliancenews.com
Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
