London open: US worries overshadow cheery updates

Shares have moved higher after some upbeat company statements this morning, but, demonstrating its exposure to the global economy, the top share index has slumped on the back of worries over the ongoing deadlock as US politicians debate raising its debt ceiling. Banks such as Lloyds and miners such as BHP Billiton are in negative territory.But company news has impressed the market. Financial Times and Penguin books publisher Pearson moves ahead after it upgraded its outlook for the full year following interim results that saw adjusted operating profit rise by 17% year-to-year to £208m on the back of a 3% increase in the headline sales figure to £2.4bn. The interim dividend has been hiked by 8% to 14.0p from 13.0p.BSkyB is wanted demonstrating why Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation was so keen to get his hands on the broadcaster with a sharp rise in revenues and profits. Revenue in the year to 30 June soared to £6.6bn from £5.7bn the previous year, while EBITDA (earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation) came in at £1.4bn, up from £1.2bn.Mobile phone network colossus Vodafone, another riser today, is to pay a special dividend of 4p per share next year after its 45% owned US associate, Verizon Wireless, resumed dividend payments.British Airways operator International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) also takes off. It moved into profit in the second quarter, but economic weakness in some markets and high oil prices remain a concern. Emergency home repairs outfit Homeserve expects customer growth of around 3% in the UK in the current financial year. "We have made a good start to the financial year and continue to expect to deliver another year of strong growth," the company said, adding that the results will, as usual, be second-half weighted.FTSE 100 - RisersVodafone Group (VOD) 172.40p +4.23%Pearson (PSON) 1,186.00p +4.13%BT Group (BT.A) 200.10p +1.11%British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSY) 720.00p +0.56%Prudential (PRU) 688.00p +0.44%Compass Group (CPG) 578.00p +0.09%Intertek Group (ITRK) 1,913.00p +0.05%Essar Energy (ESSR) 366.10p -0.08%Rolls-Royce Group (RR.) 644.50p -0.08%Experian (EXPN) 805.00p -0.12%FTSE 100 - FallersARM Holdings (ARM) 571.50p -2.64%Barclays (BARC) 222.35p -2.44%Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 44.01p -2.21%Schroders (Non-Voting) (SDRC) 1,333.00p -2.13%Resolution Ltd. (RSL) 275.20p -2.06%Anglo American (AAL) 2,937.50p -2.02%Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 35.57p -1.96%Standard Life (SL.) 197.10p -1.89%IMI (IMI) 1,055.00p -1.77%Standard Chartered (STAN) 1,570.00p -1.75%FTSE 250 - RisersExillon Energy (EXI) 436.60p +3.04%Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 682.00p +2.56%Punch Taverns (PUB) 64.10p +2.48%Sports Direct International (SPD) 263.70p +2.21%Rentokil Initial (RTO) 92.20p +2.10%AZ Electronic Materials SA (WI) (AZEM) 279.50p +1.90%Grainger (GRI) 122.80p +1.74%Talvivaara Mining Company (TALV) 406.70p +1.55%Perform Group (PER) 188.80p +1.40%COLT Group SA (COLT) 120.60p +1.26%FTSE 250 - FallersKofax (KFX) 380.10p -3.28%Unite Group (UTG) 207.70p -2.94%Dunelm Group (DNLM) 450.00p -2.85%JKX Oil & Gas (JKX) 238.90p -2.85%Supergroup (SGP) 1,083.00p -2.52%Lamprell (LAM) 381.30p -2.23%Dixons Retail (DXNS) 13.82p -2.12%Travis Perkins (TPK) 908.00p -2.10%Salamander Energy (SMDR) 275.00p -1.79%QinetiQ Group (QQ.) 112.50p -1.66%---RG