Though the Eurozone debt crisis rumbles on in the background, UK investors look to be already in holiday mood, with the market drifting lower at the outset in light trading. The European Union (EU) member states announced late last night their plan to increase the International Monetary Fund's (IMF's) resources in order to "enhance the IMF's capacity to fulfil its systemic responsibilities in support of its global membership, which is especially important given the ongoing economic slowdown and financial market tensions."The figure was €50bn shy of the amount expected by the markets. Index heavyweights from the pharmaceutical and oil sectors are dragging the top-share index lower in London. Pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca is down after it said full year core earnings per share are set to be in the lower half of its guidance range as a result of impairment charges taken following setbacks in two of its drug development programmes. Sector peers Glaxo and Shire are also in the red in early trading, while oil giants Shell, BG and BP are all off the pace, despite a hardening oil price.Bus and train group National Express remains firmly on track to deliver revenue and profit growth in 2011 in every one of its divisions. Trading across the group remains strong, the company said, and full year profit is expected to be in line with the board's previous expectations.Advertising titan WPP has acquired a 49% stake in Chinese peer Nanjing Yindu Advertising and Commerco Co for an undisclosed sum.Private equity group SVG Capital said it would return up to £170m to shareholders via share buy-backs and tender offers as part of a new investment strategy.Small caps is where the action isShares in Silvermere, an independent oil and gas company, dived after the firm announced a delay in production plans for the I-1 Well on its Mustang Island asset located in Texas waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Shares in Indian investment firm Dhir were a lot dearer after the company revealed it is considering a number of options to unlock the value in the company, including acceptance of a 42p a share cash offer from company director Alok Dhir.Engineering consultant WSP said trading for the year ending 31 December 2011 is expected to be in line with company forecasts and currently expects the market dynamics and characteristics for 2012 to follow a similar pattern. The shares climbed after the company said it has signed a new committed credit facility with its four relationship banks. The group's current £150m facility, due to expire in May 2013, will be replaced by a 4-year £152.5m facility with the same banking group. The new facility is set to expire in December 2015.FTSE 100 - RisersGKN (GKN) 172.20p +1.18%Old Mutual (OML) 127.20p +1.11%International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) 143.00p +0.99%Aggreko (AGK) 1,865.00p +0.92%Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,161.00p +0.87%Anglo American (AAL) 2,293.00p +0.81%Kingfisher (KGF) 241.20p +0.79%CRH (CRH) 1,162.00p +0.78%Meggitt (MGGT) 339.80p +0.74%ARM Holdings (ARM) 559.00p +0.63%FTSE 100 - FallersAstraZeneca (AZN) 2,869.00p -2.71%GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,430.00p -1.38%BAE Systems (BA.) 267.30p -0.85%Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 2,315.00p -0.77%Glencore International (GLEN) 382.05p -0.75%BG Group (BG.) 1,304.50p -0.72%Xstrata (XTA) 950.10p -0.69%Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 2,244.50p -0.66%BP (BP.) 434.80p -0.65%InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 1,075.00p -0.65%FTSE 250 - RisersSVG Capital (SVI) 186.00p +12.66%Allied Gold Mining (ALD) 141.40p +3.21%Howden Joinery Group (HWDN) 101.50p +3.15%Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 1,027.00p +2.80%Perform Group (PER) 210.40p +2.63%Dunelm Group (DNLM) 435.90p +2.49%International Personal Finance (IPF) 160.20p +2.36%Savills (SVS) 317.80p +2.19%Northgate (NTG) 199.20p +2.15%Filtrona PLC (FLTR) 377.10p +1.92%FTSE 250 - FallersOcado Group (OCDO) 57.05p -3.63%Laird (LRD) 139.90p -2.85%Centamin Egypt Ltd. (CEY) 82.00p -2.21%Galliford Try (GFRD) 440.80p -2.04%DS Smith (SMDS) 187.70p -1.93%Henderson Group (HGG) 99.20p -1.78%Ophir Energy (OPHR) 259.50p -1.44%Afren (AFR) 82.75p -1.43%F&C Asset Management (FCAM) 62.75p -1.41%Restaurant Group (RTN) 286.50p -1.38%
Last checked at 
