Sector movers: Construction and materials move higher

Industrial fabric maker Low & Bonar is leading the construction and materials sector higher after it said second half profit is expected to be materially better than the first half and in line with company expectations.Trading since the interim statement of 19 October has remained at anticipated levels, the group said in Thursday's company statement.It added that sales in all sectors have improved in the second half with marked increases in both the civil engineering and transport sectors.Among the other strong risers are Norcros, the company behind Triton showers, and commercial flooring group James Halstead.Lower metals prices deal a blow to the mining sector. Big stocks such as the FTSE 100 listed Rio Tinto and Vedanta are in the red.Kazakhmys is higher though after saying lifting the size of the stake it will sell in its Ekibastuz GRES -1 power plant from 25% to 50%. The consideration will increase from $339m to $681m, the group said. On 13 October, Kazakhmys announced the sale of 25% of Ekibastuz to Samruk-Kazyna. Among smaller companies in the sector, diamond miner Firestone Diamonds is going well after saying it is to start development of commercial mining operations on its BK11 prospect in Botswana.Top performing sectors so far todayBanks 4,787.56 +1.95%Construction & Materials 3,162.93 +1.38%General Industrials 2,124.94 +1.36%Insurance (non-life) 1,244.71 +1.33%Forestry & Paper 3,505.00 +1.24%Bottom performing sectors so far todayOil Equipment Services & Distribution 14,645.57 -0.79%Industrial Transportation 1,863.28 -0.53%Mining 20,227.59 -0.41%Technology Hardware & Equipment 337.51 -0.10%Oil & Gas Producers 7,907.58 -0.05% Rio Tinto