Software Circle Share News (SFT)

Group NBT is helping lift the software & computer services sector higher today after posting a rise in revenues and profits.The domain name management group was helped by the increasing importance of the internet as a generator of revenue for companies.Hardly a day seems to go by when the software giant Autonomy doesn't make an announcement, but today's news that the firm has reached a license agreement with the European Commission, which wants to use its 'Intelligent Data Operating Layer' software, has impressed the market.Not all stocks in the sector are doing well. Marketing software provider Smartfocus is sharply lower even after it moved into the black in the six months to June 30 as big name customers such as Sony, Betfair and Virgin Games continued seeking to harness digital technology as a means to market their products.Pre-tax profits totalled £200,000, compared with a loss of £600,000 over the same period the previous year as revenue climbed to £5.6m from £5m.MJ Gleeson is among the stocks dragging the construction and materials sector lower. The urban regeneration and strategic land specialist said full year pre-tax losses deepened as market conditions in the housebuilding sector continued to deteriorate.Top performing sectors so far todaySoftware & Computer Services 574.07 +0.36%Oil & Gas Producers 7,756.17 +0.32%Life Insurance 3,777.39 +0.16%Food Producers & Processors 4,544.01 +0.02%Bottom performing sectors so far todayConstruction & Materials 3,700.20 -1.97%Industrial Transportation 1,959.84 -1.82%Real Estate 2,055.16 -1.66%Health Care Equipment & Services 3,099.00 -1.58%Industrial Metals 4,463.94 -1.57%