Condor Gold Share News (CNR)

A poor reception for updates from the holiday-related stocks TUI Travel and InterContinental Hotels helped ensure Footsie closed in the red, while economic worries also weighed on sentiment. China's trade surplus hit an 18-month high as exports surged and imports slowed. Imports increased 22.7% in July, but that was down from June's 34.1% gain, raising concerns that economic activity in the world's third largest economy is easing.The news hit miners hardest, with Vedanta, Xstrata and Kazakhmys leading the mining sector lower.Closer to home, TUI Travel warned profits this year will be at the low end of forecasts after UK bookings faltered. Bookings by Britons are down by 2% over the past 12 weeks with the Netherlands down by 3%. This later booking trend, blamed on good weather in UK and the impact of the emergency Budget, has adversely affected profitability, TUI added. Rival Thomas Cook is down in sympathy.The worries hit shares in InterContinental Hotels even though it said the hotel trade is recovering from the effects of the recession. The Holiday Inn owner also reported a better than expected 22% rise in operating profit to $219m in the six months ended 30 June. International Power drifted after it finally unveiled the merger with parts of French electricity giant GDF Suez Energy International. The proposed combination will be effected through a reverse takeover of some of GDF's businesses leaving IPR shareholders with a 30% stake.Technology firm Smiths Group was a bright spot. The company is a perennial favourite among those looking for the next big takeover target and today UBS has suggested that the company might beat predators to the punch and break itself up.Cairn Energy is higher on hopes the oil explorer will find something special from its planned drilling activity in Greenland.Bakery and sandwich chain Greggs delivered a 2.9% rise in half year sales and said despite the recent surge in wheat prices it remains confident for the full year. Pre-tax profit rose to £18.6m in the 26 weeks to 3 July from £16.5m the same time a year earlier. Services, maintenance and building group Interserve reported an expected drop in half-year profits but is confident the second half will show a significant uplift. Housebuilders are under pressure after the latest survey from trade body RICS showed surveyors are seeing house prices fall for the first time since July 2009. Few buyers and a rush of new properties onto the market are blamed. Persimmon, Tayor Wimpey, Bellway and Bovis are all under pressure.The news has not done much for mortgage lender Paragon, either.Shares in Connaught rallied following recent losses, but the 18% rise in the social housing maintenance group's shares is a drop in the ocean compared with the falls it has been suffering.The UK's biggest car dealer Pendragon almost tripled interim pre-tax profit as demand at its aftersales and used car operations steps up a gear.Support services firm Cape has secured a contract valued in excess of £22.5m in Algeria.Condor Resources lived up to its name today. The shares soared after the gold exploration company announced that a trench and drill sampling programme is underway on its El Rodeo Concession in La India Gold District of Nicaragua.FTSE 100 - RisersGlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,177.00p +2.17%Smiths Group (SMIN) 1,148.00p +2.14%Shire Plc (SHP) 1,498.00p +1.84%AstraZeneca (AZN) 3,345.50p +1.23%Randgold Resources (RRS) 5,440.00p +0.83%Unilever (ULVR) 1,728.00p +0.70%Smith & Nephew (SN.) 574.50p +0.70%Centrica (CNA) 323.50p +0.65%BAE Systems (BA.) 326.60p +0.62%Intertek Group (ITRK) 1,723.00p +0.58%FTSE 100 - FallersTUI Travel (TT.) 203.00p -10.02%InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 1,078.00p -4.09%Vedanta Resources (VED) 2,480.00p -3.99%Carnival (CCL) 2,226.00p -3.93%Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 48.45p -3.77%Invensys (ISYS) 259.50p -3.53%BP (BP.) 419.25p -3.12%Xstrata (XTA) 1,053.00p -2.95%Essar Energy (ESSR) 403.40p -2.63%British Airways (BAY) 227.40p -2.57%FTSE 250 - RisersConnaught (CNT) 13.40p +21.82%Gartmore Group (GRT) 117.00p +3.27%JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 780.00p +2.63%EnQuest (ENQ) 113.00p +2.45%St. Modwen Properties (SMP) 174.50p +2.17%Daejan Holdings (DJAN) 2,470.00p +1.65%Carpetright (CPR) 757.00p +1.54%Robert Wiseman (RWD) 514.50p +1.28%Unite Group (UTG) 187.30p +1.24%Telecity Group (TCY) 441.00p +1.19%FTSE 250 - FallersThomas Cook Group (TCG) 183.90p -7.36%Redrow (RDW) 117.90p -7.02%Barratt Developments (BDEV) 101.40p -5.41%Enterprise Inns (ETI) 97.65p -5.29%Bellway (BWY) 606.00p -5.02%Persimmon (PSN) 373.40p -4.94%Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP) 260.00p -4.94%F&C Commercial Property Trust (FCPT) 88.00p -4.86%Ladbrokes (LAD) 139.40p -4.39%Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 30.75p -4.38%