LONDON (ShareCast) - Metals prices were retreating throughout Friday's session, pressuring mining stock lower. Vedanta, Kazakhmys, Antofagasta, Xstrata, Rio Tinto, Glencore and ENRC were among the worst performers. A stronger dollar was making greenback-denominated commodities more expensive early on, with crude prices also taking a tumble, denting the likes of Tullow Oil and BP.
BHP Billiton was also among the fallers after Bank of America Merrill-Lynch reduced its profit forecasts for the group on the back of lower oil prices estimates. A hold recommendation was maintained.
The defensive utilities sector was heading in the opposite direction, as investors fled from risk and into 'safer' assets, including Severn Trent, Centrica, United Utilities, SSE and National Grid.
FTSE 100 - Risers
Severn Trent (SVT) 1,769.00p +1.96%
Capita (CPI) 643.50p +1.90%
United Utilities Group (UU.) 678.00p +1.42%
Diageo (DGE) 1,594.00p +1.08%
Centrica (CNA) 311.60p +1.04%
Shire Plc (SHP) 1,869.00p +0.97%
Standard Life (SL.) 218.40p +0.97%
Associated British Foods (ABF) 1,186.00p +0.94%
National Grid (NG.) 659.50p +0.92%
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,441.00p +0.77%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Vedanta Resources (VED) 928.50p -5.78%
Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,859.00p -5.17%
Eurasian Natural Resources Corp. (ENRC) 419.80p -4.85%
Evraz (EVR) 274.90p -4.68%
Kazakhmys (KAZ) 697.50p -4.19%
BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,750.00p -3.85%
Anglo American (AAL) 2,058.00p -3.52%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 1,048.00p -3.32%
Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 1,528.00p -3.11%
Schroders (Non-Voting) (SDRC) 972.00p -2.99%
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