Pound slips after new poll shows shrinking Tory lead
Across the Atlantic, the Dow Jones also pushed higher, moving close to an all-time high, as traders considered a quiet session to be positive news.
In company news, caterer Compass Group led the FTSE 100’s fallers yesterday, as its shares dived after it warned that a decline in confidence in Europe has hit its business catering division.
The group posted higher underlying operating profits for the year, but the company said it is taking action to improve its cost base in Europe due to weakness in the region.
Compass Group shares closed the day 155.5p lower at 1,915.5p.
Elsewhere, passport and banknote firm De La Rue saw about a fifth wiped off its stock market value after the firm warned it could collapse if recovery efforts fail.
The firm sparked another plunge in shares – down as much as 24% – as it alerted in half-year results a “material uncertainty that casts significant doubt on the group’s ability to continue as a going concern”.
Shares in De La Rue plunged by 41.2p to 134p.
Shares in retailer Pets At Home soared higher after it delivered a dose of profit cheer following strong half-year sales and earnings.
The group saw shares push up 34.6p to 249p at the close of play.
The price of oil made gains yesterday as optimism surrounding USChina trade boosted value.
The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil rose by 0.53% to 64.07 US dollars.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Fresnillo, up 36.6p at 576.2p, Hiscox, up 51p at 1,320p, Johnson Matthey, up 89p at 3,015p, and CRH, up 83p at 2,991p.
The biggest fallers on the index were Compass, down 155.5p at 1,915.5p, JD Sports, down 19.4p at 787.6p, Rightmove, down 9.8p at 619.2p, and BP, down 7.2p at 493.1p.