Financial News

LONDON (ShareCast) - Insurers struggled as Societe Generale (Paris: FR0000130809 - news) cut its rating on Legal & General (3166.KL - news) to "sell" from "hold" and slashed earnings forecasts for the current financial year and the next.

Friends Provident fell back in sympathy.

Copper miner Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO.L - news) was one of the top blue chip risers as metal prices improved, kept company by peer Eurasian Natural Resources.

It's also been a good day for information conglomerate Thomson (Paris: FR0000184533 - news) -Reuters, up after confirming it will scrap its London listing.

FTSE 100 - Risers TUI Travel (LSE: TT.L - news) (TT.) 233.50p +3.89% Antofagasta (ANTO) 576.50p +3.87% Eurasian Natural Resources (ENRC) 620.00p +3.68% Thomson Reuters (TRI.TO - news) (TRIL) 1,690.00p +3.62% British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSY) 444.50p +3.13% Pearson (LSE: PSON.L - news) (PSON) 615.50p +2.67% Alliance Trust (ATST) 274.25p +2.43% Shire Plc (LSE: GB00B0KQX869.L - news) (SHP) 828.50p +2.16% Johnson Matthey (LSE: JMAT.L - news) (JMAT) 1,108.00p +2.12% Bunzl (LSE: BNZL.L - news) (BNZL) 495.00p +1.96%

FTSE 100 - Fallers Legal & General Group (LGEN) 55.83p -7.87% Lloyds Banking Group (LSE: LLOY.L - news) (LLOY) 65.00p -4.20% Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN.L - news) (STAN) 1,135.00p -3.40% Thomas Cook Group (TCG) 200.00p -3.38% Wolseley (LSE: WOS.L - news) (WOS) 1,006.00p -3.18% Friends Provident Group (FP.) 69.00p -3.09% Anglo American (LSE: AAL.L - news) (AAL) 1,652.00p -2.71% Schroders (LSE: SDR.L - news) (SDR) 809.50p -2.53% Schroders NV (SDRC) 665.00p -2.42% International Power (LSE: IPR.L - news) (IPR) 229.75p -2.34%