City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open up 17 points from yesterday's close of 5,641, pushed higher by trading in Asia and hopes that the Bank of England will opt to extend its 325 billion pound stimulus programme at Wednesday's policy meeting. House builder Persimmon said it had a good first half of the year with sales rates and prices running ahead of the corresponding period of 2011. The group completed 4,712 new homes (2011: 4,439) in the first six months of 2012, an increase of 6% on the prior year. Weekly average private sales rate per site for the first half were up by about 18% year-on-year. Nickel- and zinc-focused mining group Talvivaara says that it is unlikely to hit its nickel production targets this year as a result of flooding, scheduled maintenance and a fatality-related stoppage during its second quarter. Nickel production totalled 3,194t in the period, while zinc output was 6,686t. Nickel output in April was only 198t. However, when work was restarted, the group said that the metals plant operated "continuously and steadily", producing 1,477t and 1,519t of nickel in May and June, respectively. N Brown, the internet and catalogue home shopping firm, said sales were up but price conscious shoppers opting for value ranges had hit margins. In the four months to the end of June the firm said total group revenue increased by 2.5%. Like-for-like revenue growth was 1.9% after excluding sales from stores opened in the last year.