Lloyds Share News (LLOY)

Blue chips closed sharply lower as fears about Greece resurfaced and US dole claimant figures were worse than expected.On a busy day for big company results RBS hogged the headlines. The part-nationalised bank saw its net attributable loss narrow markedly in 2009 with fourth quarter impairments 5% lower than the third quarter. Net attributable loss in 2009 was £3.6bn, down from £24.3bn in 2008. The market consensus had been for a loss of £3.85bn, though forecasts varied wildly. Lloyds, which is due to report tomorrow, edged higher.Capita is the biggest faller among the clutch of blue-chip stocks that have issued results today. The outsourcing giant announced a strong improvement in pre-tax profits, but the rise still came in below market forecasts.Recruiter Hays was another to suffer after grim figures. Profits crashed to £3.4m in the six months to 31 December from £100.8m in 2008 and plunged 70% to £30.4m, excluding a £27m OFT fine that is currently under appeal.The world's second largest tobacco company, BAT Industries increased pre-tax profit by 11% in 2009, at the lower end of expectations, although revenue did better. Revenue rose 17% to £14.21bn, or 10% at constant rates of exchange, on good pricing momentum and volume from acquisitions.Centrica bounced back through the billion pound profit barrier and announced a 5% dividend rise. Profit on a continuing basis was up 15% to £1.104bn in the year ended 31 December (2008: £964m). Net written premiums of £6.7bn in 2009 were up 4% on 2008 levels at insurer RSA Group. Profit before tax tumbled 27% to £554m from £759m in 2008. Property group Segro saw its adjusted net asset value (NAV) per share slip to 362 pence at the end of 2009 from 459p on a pro-forma basis as the end of 2008. Adjusted profit before taxation improved to £104.3m from £89.3m the year before.Drinks brands giant Diageo has kissed and made up with brewing colossus SABMiller in their dispute over Diageo's move to acquire a stake in Tanzania's Serengeti Breweries.Car and aerospace engineer GKN was a strong performer after full year trading profit halved, but it added that the outlook for its major markets is mainly positive.Sticking with FTSE 250 stocks, bingo, casino and online betting group Rank is flying high after the company resumed dividend payments. Full-year profit before tax and exceptional items rose to £49.2m from £38.2m in 2008, while an overall profit of £52m compared with a £26.1m loss in 2008 following a £64.3m one-off charge.Engineering firm Bodycote reported a decline in full year pre-tax profit and while there has been a slow recovery in demand, it expects a full recovery may take several years.Cost cutting enabled aircraft services group BBA Aviation to mitigate the effects of reduced volumes in 2009. Though adjusted profit before tax dipped 8% to £78.2m from £89.2m in 2008, the group was encouraged by some signs in the final quarter of 2009 'that we are through the worst of the downturn in business and general aviation flying hours.'Oil services specialist Hunting reported a sharp drop in annual profit but added it saw growth return in the fourth quarter. Profit from operations before exceptional items declined to £35.8m for the year ended 31 December 2009 from £58.8m a year earlier. Revenue from continuing operations fell to £359.9m from £418.5m in 2008.Animal breeding firm Genus revealed an 8% drop in half year profit after a lower contribution from its 49% owned Brazilian joint venture and difficult agricultural markets. Profit before tax fell to £15.5m for the six months ended 31 December from £16.9m the year before. Revenue fell 4% to £134.9m.National Express saw full-year profits plunge due to falling demand for travel and the loss of its East Coast rail franchise. The bus, coach and train operator's pre-tax profit from continuing operations dropped by 43% to £116.2m. Revenue fell slightly to £2.71bn compared with £2.77bn last time. Homewares retailer Dunelm is to return £43m or 21.5p per share to shareholders after a bumper first half. The cash payout is in addition to a 50% hike in the ordinary dividend to 3p. Shares in Ashmore edged higher after the emerging markets asset manager reported a better than expected 40% jump in half-year profits. Pre-tax profit jumped to £112m in the six months ended 31 December compared with £80.3m last time.FTSE 100 - RisersRoyal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 38.38p +6.23%TUI Travel (TT.) 267.80p +2.72%Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 54.90p +2.64%Inmarsat (ISAT) 739.00p +2.43%FTSE 100 - FallersXstrata (XTA) 1,000.00p -4.76%Capita Group (CPI) 712.50p -4.23%3i Group (III) 258.70p -3.94%Wolseley (WOS) 1,520.00p -3.74%FTSE 250 - RisersGKN (GKN) 109.00p +5.21%Rank Group (RNK) 98.05p +4.14%Dunelm Group (DNLM) 387.70p +3.39%Halfords Group (HFD) 454.00p +2.90%FTSE 250 - FallersHays (HAS) 104.20p -8.03%Morgan Crucible (MGCR) 175.50p -7.29%BSS Group (BTSM) 265.70p -6.80%Computacenter (CCC) 285.80p -6.33%RPS Group (RPS) 185.50p -5.36%