Britain's top share index looked set to end the month crawling into positive territory by midday on Friday as U.S. data from the previous session helped lift banks, offsetting weak commodities.
Weakness in energy stocks, pulled lower by downbeat results from Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L), offset gains from banks and miners leaving Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE off 0.3 percent by midsession on Thursday.
Britain's leading shares were 1.8 percent lower around midday on Wednesday, with falls by heavyweight oils, miners and banks dragging the FTSE 100 .FTSE index to a three-week low.
Britain's top shares edged up 0.2 percent by midday on Monday as energy firms and drugmakers gained ahead of third-quarter earnings this week, outpacing a decline in banks and life insurers.
Britain's top share index shed 1 percent by midday on Thursday, suffering a broad-based sell-off after disappointing earnings news from the U.S., with energy stocks the biggest laggards as crude fell.
Britain's top share index was 1 percent lower in midday trade on Wednesday, as miners and energy stocks fell on weakness in commodity prices while banks fell after the BoE Governor said regulation would be tightened.
A sale of Barclays shares by the Qatari Investment Authority (QIA) dented banking stocks, pulling Britain's FTSE 100 index slightly lower by midday on Tuesday, but the move lifted Sainsbury shares by reviving bid talk.
Gains in miners and energy firms pushed Britain's top shares 1.3 percent higher by midday on Monday, underpinned by firmer commodity prices, while investors awaited corporate earnings from the United States for further direction.
Britain's top share index was lower at midday on Friday, led by banks after quarterly earnings numbers from Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) and General Electric (GE.N) disappointed.
Britain's top share index was 0.1 percent lower by mid-session Thursday, weighed on by weaker commodity stocks as metal prices fell, ahead of results from U.S. banks Citigroup (C.N) and Goldman Sachs (GS.N)
Britain's leading shares were 0.3 percent lower early on Tuesday, retreating from a 12-month high set the previous session with investors staying on the sidelines ahead of UK inflation data and upcoming U.S. corporate earnings.
A rally by miners and energy stocks, spurred by firmer commodity prices, helped Britain's top share index extend gains by midday on Monday as it rose above 5,200 points for the first time since September 2008.
Britain's top shares rose 1.0 percent early on Monday, regaining 5,200 points for the first time in over a year on advances in oil majors and a rally by Vodafone (VOD.L), with investors awaiting the next batch of U.S. earnings.
Britain's top shares were down 0.1 percent around midday on Friday, with falls in mining stocks just outweighing modest gains in oil majors and drugmakers during a largely directionless session.
Britain's top share index rose on Thursday, helped by gains in mining stocks on firmer metals prices and a surprise quarterly profit from U.S. aluminium producer Alcoa (AA.N).
Britain's top share index eased in mid-session trade on Wednesday, with weakness in energy and food retailers offsetting some strength in miners and banks, as investors await the start of the third-quarter corporate results season in the United States.
Britain's top share index was flat early on Wednesday as investors paused for breath after the previous session's sharp rise, with gains in miners offsetting weak energy stocks and ahead of the U.S. third-quarter earnings season.
Britain's leading share index rose 0.5 percent early on Tuesday, drawing strength from a rebound on Wall Street overnight, with gains in banks and miners offsetting weakness in defensive telecoms and pharmaceuticals.
Weakness in miners and financials dragged Britain's top share index 0.9 percent lower by midday on Friday, as weak data this week increased investors' concerns, denting risky assets ahead of U.S. non-farm payrolls data.
Britain's top shares fell 0.7 percent by mid-session on Thursday, as weak banks, miners and energy stocks dragged the index lower, outweighing strength in life insurers.
Britain's leading share index was 0.4 percent weaker in mid-session trade on Tuesday, with weakness in commodity stocks outweighing gains in financials as investors booked profit after recent gains.
On March 18, London stocks lowered following the announcement that unemployment has risen above the two million mark for the first time in over 10 years.
