London midday: Stocks pare gains, euro in focus

The Footsie was trading well below its intraday high of 5,626 reached in early trading. However, the index was still making moderate gains - up 0.33% at 5,587 by midday - on fresh optimism over the Eurozone, as leaders draw up plans to increase the region's firepower against the crisis.Miners dominated the risers in morning trade, with Randgold Resources leading the way gaining over 3%. Kazakhmys, Antofagasta, Rio Tinto, Xstrata, ENRC and Vedanta were also performing well. Banks were also in demand, with Lloyds and Barclays registering strong gains. Resolution rose after Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock from hold to buy. ICAP was leading the fallers after Morgan Stanley downgraded its rating from overweight to equalweight.EURO SPECULATION BOOSTS OPTIMISM AHEAD OF SUMMITThe European Union is preparing a plan that would include the simultaneous running of two independent rescue funds along with larger financial support from the International Monetary Fund, according to newspaper reports.The Financial Times says that leaders are working on a three-pronged proposal in order "to create a much bigger financial 'bazooka' to present at this week's European Union summit." Official sources cited by the daily say that the proposal would allow the existing €440bn fund to continue running when a new €500bn fund comes into effect in mid-2012.Ahead of the critical EU summit on 9 December the British Prime Minister David Cameron has raised the possibility of vetoing changes to European treaties if they do not promote the interests of the UK. Writing in the Times newspaper the Prime Minister says: "Our colleagues in the EU need to know that we will not agree to a treaty change that fails to protect our interests." He singles out financial services as a "key" industry for the UK. FTSE 250 MOVERS: KESA DOWN, MICRO FOCUS UP AFTER RESULTSAfter an initial rise, shares of KESA Electricals dropped to trade over 8% down by midday. The retailer's first half results were dragged down by Comet, its electrical chain it agreed to sell for just £2. Kesa posted a loss on its retail business of €9.2m, but a profit of €16.5m when Comet was stripped out.Micro Focus International, the business software company, was the high riser after announced a $134.4m cash return to shareholders. However, revenues on a constant currency basis dropped 2.6% in the six months to the end of October. Packaging and office products group DS Smith was flat despite reporting a 26% rise in revenues from continuing operations in the first half ended 31 October. Bus and train operator Stagecoach rose despite reporting an 18% drop in half year pre-tax profit after a weak performance at its UK rail division. ECONOMIC NEWSBritish retail inflation fell to 2% in November from 2.1% in October as fierce supermarket discounting drives down shop prices at the start of the key holiday shopping period, figures from the British Retail Consortium showed. The monthly drop brings retail inflation to its lowest level in a year and way below June's high of 2.9%.The pace of permanent job losses in the private sector was at its fastest since 2009 in November, according to the results of a survey carried out by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), together with KPMG.UK industrial output fell 0.7% between September and October, more than double the 0.3% contraction expected by analysts. Figures from the Office For National Statistics (ONS) show production fell by 1.7% in October compared with the year before, the fastest rate of decline in six months. This marked the eighth consecutive fall in the year-on-year figures, which last rose in February 2011.BCFTSE 100 - RisersRandgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 6,940.00p +3.43%Kazakhmys (KAZ) 992.00p +2.90%Antofagasta (ANTO) 1,261.00p +2.69%Eurasian Natural Resources Corp. (ENRC) 689.00p +1.92%Xstrata (XTA) 1,068.00p +1.91%Rio Tinto (RIO) 3,413.00p +1.85%Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 27.57p +1.73%BAE Systems (BA.) 281.10p +1.59%Lonmin (LMI) 1,066.00p +1.52%Resolution Ltd. (RSL) 261.20p +1.40%FTSE 100 - FallersICAP (IAP) 349.90p -4.53%Associated British Foods (ABF) 1,092.00p -2.15%Admiral Group (ADM) 873.00p -1.97%Aggreko (AGK) 1,869.00p -1.53%Investec (INVP) 358.30p -1.38%RSA Insurance Group (RSA) 106.10p -1.21%Kingfisher (KGF) 255.30p -1.16%British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSY) 740.50p -1.13%ARM Holdings (ARM) 584.50p -1.10%Rexam (REX) 348.90p -1.02%FTSE 250 - RisersMicro Focus International Plc (MCRO) 409.20p +7.26%Pace (PIC) 70.20p +5.25%Daejan Holdings (DJAN) 2,770.00p +4.65%Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CW.) 17.52p +3.98%Homeserve (HSV) 292.60p +3.83%International Personal Finance (IPF) 230.00p +3.60%Carillion (CLLN) 317.30p +3.56%Stagecoach Group (SGC) 257.10p +3.42%Afren (AFR) 89.10p +3.01%Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 1,119.00p +2.66%FTSE 250 - FallersKesa Electricals (KESA) 75.05p -8.14%AZ Electronic Materials SA (WI) (AZEM) 238.80p -5.35%Perform Group (PER) 207.30p -4.34%Britvic (BVIC) 315.50p -4.34%Brown (N.) Group (BWNG) 254.00p -4.33%Talvivaara Mining Company (TALV) 237.30p -4.08%Michael Page International (MPI) 326.70p -3.91%Debenhams (DEB) 60.80p -3.87%Electrocomponents (ECM) 199.40p -3.44%Henderson Group (HGG) 114.40p -3.13%