MARKET REPORT

AFTER drone attacks on a Saudi refinery and oil field over the weekend, traders in London were nervous as they awaited further details. The FTSE 100 closed the day down 46.05 points at 7,321.41, a fall of 0.63%.

Oil-reliant firms, including airlines and cruise operators, suffered hardest, while producers enjoyed a boost to shares, with BP up 20.2p to 524.6p and Shell rising 43p to 2,322.5p.

Spire Healthcare shares closed down 3.3p at 121.8p, despite swinging to a first-half profit due to cost-cutting and more NHS referrals. The group reported a £9.6m pre-tax profit for the six months to June, rising from a £2.2m loss in the same period in 2018.

Haulage firm Eddie Stobart Logistics warned annual profits will be “significantly below” expectations after a poor first half of the year, due in part to delays on a major project. The firm is the target for a possible takeover by one of its biggest shareholders, DBAY Advisors. Shares remain suspended due to accounting problems.

UK defence giant Cobham won approval from 93% of shareholders to sell the business to US private equity firm Advent International for £4bn. Advent has offered 165p a share but, despite passing, shares closed the day up just 1.45p at 161.2p, with some investors fearing the Government could block the deal.

The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were BP up 20.2p at 524.6p, BT up 5.8p at 177.22p, Royal Dutch Shell A up 48.5p at 2,331p, Royal Dutch Shell

up 43p at 2,322.5p, and Micro Focus up 20.6p at 1,147.6p.

The biggest fallers were Prudential down 53p at 1,480p, Evraz down 17.4p at 518p, Rolls-Royce down 26.2p at 805.6p, St James’s Place down 28p at 1,002.5p, and CRH down 76p at 2,761p.