London midday: Footsie flatlines

London's top stocks have retreated from the gains sparked by Royal Bank of Scotland's numbers. RBS shares are up by more than 6% after the part-nationalised bank saw its net attributable loss narrow markedly in 2009 with fourth quarter impairments 5% lower than the third quarter. Net attributable loss in 2009 was £3.6bn, down from £24.3bn in 2008. The market consensus had been for a loss of £3.85bn, though forecasts varied wildly. Lloyds, which is due to report tomorrow, is also a riser.Car and aerospace engineer GKN is the best performer after full year trading profit halved, but it added that the outlook for its major markets is mainly positive.Capita is the biggest blue chip faller after the outsourcing giant announced a strong improvement in pre-tax profits, but the rise still came in below market forecasts.Hays is another to suffer after grim figures. Profits crashed to £3.4m in the six months to 31 December from £100.8m in 2008 and plunged 70% to £30.4m, excluding a £27m OFT fine that is currently under appeal.Miners are also dragging the index lower, with Eurasian Natural Resources, Rio Tinto, Xstrata, Kazakhmys and BHP Billiton all among the worst performers.The world's second largest tobacco company, BAT Industries increased pre-tax profit by 11% in 2009, at the lower end of expectations, although revenue did better. Revenue rose 17% to £14.21bn, or 10% at constant rates of exchange, on good pricing momentum and volume from acquisitions.Centrica bounced back through the billion pound profit barrier and announced a 5% dividend rise. Profit on a continuing basis was up 15% to £1.104bn in the year ended 31 December (2008: £964m). Net written premiums of £6.7bn in 2009 were up 4% on 2008 levels at insurer RSA Group. Profit before tax tumbled 27% to £554m from £759m in 2008. Property group Segro saw its adjusted net asset value (NAV) per share slip to 362 pence at the end of 2009 from 459p on a pro-forma basis as the end of 2008. Adjusted profit before taxation improved to £104.3m from £89.3m the year before.Drinks brands giant Diageo has kissed and made up with brewing colossus SABMiller in their dispute over Diageo's move to acquire a stake in Tanzania's Serengeti Breweries.