Marks & Spencer Share News (MKS)

- BoE holds rates, US jobless claims ahead- FOMC minutes reveal dovish stance- M&S erases gains after trading update- RBS pays to cancel dividend access sharetechMARK 2,733.65 +0.13%FTSE 100 6,640.82 +0.08%FTSE 250 16,217.66 +0.33%UK stocks mostly erased gains by Thursday lunchtime after the initial positive start quickly faded ahead of the Bank of England's policy decision and data from the US.The UK's Monetary Policy Committee announced at noon that it kept the Bank Rate at 0.5% and the asset purchase programme unchanged at £375bn, as was widely expected by analysts.Stock futures in the States were pointing to small losses when Wall Street opens this afternoon, ahead of figures which are expected to show that jobless claims fell to 320,000 in the week ended April 5th, down from 326,000 previously.The FTSE 100 was trading just 0.1% higher by midday at 6,641, having pulled back sharply from its intraday high of 6,688 reached early on.Indices across Europe pulled back in mid-morning with market commentators citing technical selling and profit-taking as reasons behind the sharp move.Research Analyst Joshua Mahony from Alpari said that the turnaround came despite broadly positive economic data today, with China swinging to a trade surplus, unemployment falling in Australia and strong demand seen at a Greek bond sale."Thus there are warning signs that show a possible bearish tone creeping back into the markets despite the strength seen within the past two trading days," he said.Markets had started on the front foot after minutes of the March 18-19th Federal Open Market Committee meeting released last night revealed a slightly more dovish stance among US policymakers than expected. They said that the initial rise in interest rates is likely to come later than current forecasts predict, given that the median projection for the federal funds rate was "overstated".M&S erases gains after positive startHigh Street department store Marks & Spencer dropped into the red despite a strong start after its fourth-quarter statement. The company revealed that group sales growth picked up to 1.9% from 1.8% the preceding quarter, helped by a slightly turnaround at its struggling General Merchandise division. Shore Capital said that the results showed that trading "is frankly quite mellow albeit no great surprise to the market".Utilities group Centrica was among the worst performers after Ofgem fined its business arm £5.6m for errors in its switching and renewal processes. Part-nationalised RBS climbed after taking a major step toward its eventual re-privatisation, agreeing to pay £1.5bn to cancel the dividend access share, an agreement that effectively stopped dividend payments to private shareholders. RSA was higher after the troubled insurer said it was "very pleased" with the outcome of its rights issue, which saw nearly 96% of shareholders snap up shares on offer as it attempts to rebuild its balance sheet.Recruitment firm Hays reported a solid increase in quarterly net fee growth, helped by improved conditions across many of its key markets, leading to increased expectations for full-year profits. Sector peer Michael Page International was also in demand following the statement.Online gaming company 888 Holdings was on the rise after reporting record quarterly revenue with growth across casino, poker and bingo businesses. First-quarter revenue came to $114m, up 11% year-on-year and 7% on the previous three months. Cairn Energy fell after saying its Deputy Chief Executive Officer Mike Watts, and Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jann Brown are stepping down as executive directors of the company. Meanwhile, pubs group Greene King edged lower after announcing that CFO Matthew Fearn has taken a temporary leave of absence to undergo urgent medical treatment.FTSE 100 - RisersRandgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 4,719.00p +1.99%Associated British Foods (ABF) 2,653.00p +1.92%Imperial Tobacco Group (IMT) 2,460.00p +1.82%Land Securities Group (LAND) 1,034.00p +1.77%Shire Plc (SHP) 2,952.00p +1.58%Persimmon (PSN) 1,339.00p +1.44%Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 3,269.00p +1.43%Compass Group (CPG) 922.50p +1.43%HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 619.80p +1.16%Fresnillo (FRES) 892.50p +0.96%FTSE 100 - FallersRoyal Mail (RMG) 502.00p -2.52%G4S (GFS) 244.60p -1.96%Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 447.90p -1.78%Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 307.70p -1.38%Travis Perkins (TPK) 1,829.00p -1.19%Tullow Oil (TLW) 840.00p -1.18%ARM Holdings (ARM) 1,017.00p -1.17%Centrica (CNA) 334.00p -1.07%Antofagasta (ANTO) 839.50p -1.00%BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,925.00p -0.90%FTSE 250 - RisersHays (HAS) 152.20p +5.18%Workspace Group (WKP) 617.00p +4.49%Renishaw (RSW) 1,987.00p +4.20%RPS Group (RPS) 325.80p +4.19%Worldwide Healthcare Trust (WWH) 1,285.00p +4.05%Laird (LRD) 316.40p +3.30%Smith (DS) (SMDS) 317.30p +3.12%UDG Healthcare Public Limited Company (UDG) 362.70p +2.75%Elementis (ELM) 285.50p +2.70%PZ Cussons (PZC) 363.30p +2.66%FTSE 250 - FallersOxford Instruments (OXIG) 1,383.00p -3.35%Ferrexpo (FXPO) 152.20p -2.12%Cairn Energy (CNE) 166.40p -2.06%Kazakhmys (KAZ) 250.60p -1.96%Tullett Prebon (TLPR) 313.70p -1.94%ICAP (IAP) 402.30p -1.76%Debenhams (DEB) 78.20p -1.64%Inmarsat (ISAT) 747.50p -1.64%WH Smith (SMWH) 1,151.00p -1.62%Carillion (CLLN) 373.60p -1.53%BC