Lloyds Share News (LLOY)

Marks & Spencer saw underlying pre-tax profit fall 8.9 per cent to 261.6m pounds in the first half of the year, but since this was not as bad as many analysts were expecting, the stock registed strong gains. The retailer has been investing heavily in the business, incurring extra costs during the period as it worked to turn around its struggling clothing division. It relaunched its Womenswear range during the period, with Chief Executive Marc Bolland saying the Autumn/Winter collection was "well received" in its first three weeks in stores.Imperial Tobacco Group gained after an in-line set of annual results with earnings per share up 6% at constant currency. Drug developer Shire also rose after positive results for its Binge Eating Disorder treatment, Vyvanse.Miners made strong gains, boosted in part by a strong four-month gain in iron ore stocks. Meanwhile, RSA fell sharply after saying that recent storms and heavy winds now mean that weather-related losses will be "materially above planning assumptions" in 2013. The company has now said that its full-year return on equity will be below 10%.Other financials were also trading in the red today with domestic lenders Barclays, Lloyds and RBS and Aberdeen Asset Management registering heavy losses. Even insurance firm Legal & General was lower despite its third-quarter worldwide sales coming in ahead of forecasts. Housebuilder Persimmon was down ahead of its results, which are due out tomorrow. AB Foods also underwhelmed despite a better-than-expected set of annual results following a strong performance from Primark and an improvement in its Grocery division. FTSE 100 - RisersMarks & Spencer Group (MKS) 506.50p +3.98%Anglo American (AAL) 1,534.00p +2.64%Antofagasta (ANTO) 884.50p +2.43%Imperial Tobacco Group (IMT) 2,360.00p +2.16%Glencore Xstrata (GLEN) 342.25p +2.04%Vedanta Resources (VED) 1,104.00p +1.56%Rio Tinto (RIO) 3,329.50p +1.22%BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,969.50p +1.03%Fresnillo (FRES) 1,011.00p +1.00%Shire Plc (SHP) 2,843.00p +0.82%FTSE 100 - FallersRSA Insurance Group (RSA) 121.00p -6.27%Persimmon (PSN) 1,216.00p -4.03%Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 321.20p -3.17%Aberdeen Asset Management (ADN) 432.20p -3.03%Legal & General Group (LGEN) 211.50p -2.94%Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 74.78p -2.93%Barclays (BARC) 247.80p -2.88%International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 343.10p -2.47%Associated British Foods (ABF) 2,201.00p -2.39%Schroders (SDR) 2,568.00p -2.39%NR