London close: Footsie takes a dive

Footsie gave up its recent indecisive spell to dive into the red after an unexpected fall in US retail sales tempered recent talk that we are on the cusp of an economic recovery.Financial shares were the worst performers in London, not helped by disappointing trading updates from Legal & General and Land Securities. Insurer Legal & General has reported a 3% rise in worldwide new business during the first quarter of 2009 and a "modest improvement in its estimated IGD surplus to £1.6bn. The market was not impressed, however, and the shares are the worst performers among blue-chips. Elsewhere in the sector Aviva also suffers a double-digit percentage fall.Property giant Land Securities saw its net asset value slashed by two-thirds in 2008 in what it described as 'unprecedented market conditions.' Basic net asset value (NAV) per share slumped to 639p at the end of March 2009 from 1,862p a year earlier. The group's property portfolio took a £4,744m dive, after sliding £1,293m the previous year. The valuation hit helped push the company deep into the red, with a pre-tax loss of £4,773m versus a pre-tax loss the year before of £988m.Sector peer Hammerson has completed its evacuation from Germany by selling a Berlin shopping centre for €70m. The news did little to stop the share price from joining Land Securities in hurtling downwards.There are still profits to be taken in the banking sector and investors appeared to be taking them, resulting in continued weakness in the share prices of the likes of Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays.Kazakhstan focused Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC) thinks it can keep up improved production levels to cope with increased demand, but warned it's too early to talk of a global economic recovery. The market seems inclined to agree, and has marked ENRC sharply lower, along with Kazamhmys, Xstrata and Lonmin. Even Fresnillo, which has been defying the downward trend in the mining sector this week, is nursing a heavy loss.Rio Tinto came under selling pressure on rumours that the cash injection from Chinese state-owned aluminium producer Chinalco may be ditched, in response to shareholder pressure, in favour of a rights issue.Leading shares were not without their bright features, however, and chief among them is catering giant Compass Group, after it reported a 41% rise in half-year profit and expects trends in the first half to continue into the second.Strong demand for its 'basics' range has helped supermarket giant J Sainsbury deliver better than expected full year profit. Underlying profit for the year to 21 March leapt 11.3% to £543m, ahead of the £527m predicted.Unilever was wanted after Charles Stanley, a long time Unilever bear, upgraded the stock to 'accumulate' in the wake of the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant's impressive first quarter results last week.Solid demand from the oil and gas and environmental sectors has lifted AMEC's order book to £3.4bn with margins this year also forecast to increase.Pub groups took a beating on the parliamentary report calling for a referral of the tied system to the Competition Commission. Punch has been quick to reject the demand saying it is not necessary. Enterprise Inns is also down heavily. Regional brewers and pubcos Greene King and Marston's also take a few dents.Oil and gas group BG has strengthened its ties with China National Offshore Oil Corporation and agreed a joint liquefied natural gas (LNG) project development Agreement focused on BG Group's Queensland Curtis LNG Project in Australia. Housebuilder Barratt's order book has risen by 70% since the start of 2009, but the group is still cautious over the market with demand held back by lack of mortgage availability. The shares fell back, taking fellow cash-strapped housebuilder Taylor Wimpey with them.Bumper sales of hot cross buns helped bakery chain Greggs put in a solid performance over Easter. The group, with over 1,400 retail outlets in the UK, increased total group sales in the 19 weeks to 9 May 2009 by 5.2%, including like-for-like sales growth of 2%.Bus and train operator FirstGroup reported full year profit ahead of forecasts and said it is well placed to withstand economic headwinds. Trading conditions have steadily improved across many part of Amlin's business and the underwriter expects the generally positive trends to continue this year. The average renewal rate of increase for Amlin in the first four months of 2009 was 4%, with the renewal retention rate running at 89.2%.Oil services company Wood Group has traded in line with expectations in the year to date, with market conditions similar to those at the start of 2009.Tough trading in the Americas was the only fly in the ointment for cash rich computer services group Dimension Data as it reported a solid set of interim results. Revenue in the six months to 31 March 2009 eased to £1,950m from £2,171m, reflecting the strength of the US dollar; in constant currency terms, turnover was up 8.1%.Defence firm VT Group battled higher after revealing a better than expected 41% surge in underlying profit and 10% increase in the dividend.Investment company Electra Private Equity was drawing comfort from outperforming the FTSE All Share index as it announced a sharp reduction in net asset value (NAV) per share at the interim stage. NAV per share at the end of March was 1,512p, down 16.1% from six months earlier; over the same time period the FTSE All-Share index declined by 20.1%.FTSE 100 - RisersCompass Group (CPG) 353.00p +6.09%Shire Plc (SHP) 878.50p +2.75%Unilever (ULVR) 1,506.00p +2.38%Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 1,637.00p +2.25%Severn Trent (SVT) 1,138.00p +1.61%Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 1,639.00p +1.55%British American Tobacco (BATS) 1,722.00p +1.53%AstraZeneca (AZN) 2,626.00p +1.39%Pennon Group (PNN) 497.25p +1.07%Centrica (CNA) 243.00p +1.04%FTSE 100 - FallersLand Securities Group (LAND) 468.00p -13.17%Xstrata (XTA) 594.50p -12.77%Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 38.00p -12.64%Eurasian Natural Resources (ENRC) 564.00p -11.94%Hammerson (HMSO) 285.25p -11.69%Legal & General Group (LGEN) 58.30p -10.99%Kazakhmys (KAZ) 595.00p -10.73%Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,503.00p -10.64%Barclays (BARC) 242.75p -9.59%Aviva (AV.) 310.75p -9.14%FTSE 250 - RisersDimension Data Holdings (DDT) 49.50p +7.03%VT Group (VTG) 478.00p +6.28%Electra Private Equity (ELTA) 936.00p +4.46%Domino's Pizza UK & IRL (DOM) 203.00p +4.24%Ashmore Group (ASHM) 222.75p +3.60%Morgan Sindall (MGNS) 617.50p +2.92%Mothercare (MTC) 405.00p +2.53%Brewin Dolphin (BRW) 142.00p +2.53%BH Global USD Shares (BHGU) 9.65000000 +2.44%Genus (GNS) 588.00p +2.08%FTSE 250 - FallersEnterprise Inns (ETI) 117.75p -26.41%International Personal Finance (IPF) 63.50p -18.06%Inchcape (INCH) 16.50p -13.16%Great Portland Estates (GPOR) 270.50p -12.74%Intermediate Capital Group (ICP) 456.00p -11.28%Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 32.00p -11.11%Mondi (MNDI) 172.00p -10.88%Barratt Developments (BDEV) 136.25p -10.36%Ashtead Group (AHT) 47.75p -10.33%Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP) 265.25p -9.55%