Shares higher on Labor Day lull
END-OF-DAY REPORT: Headline shares closed slightly higher, in a quiet session which lacked the influence of US markets, closed for Labor Day. Home Retail Group topped the leaders after glowing broker comment ahead of results.
At the close of business, the FTSE100 was up 11.04 points at 5,439.19 with the FTSE250 ahead 36.3 points at 10,240.41 and the FTSE Smallcaps 19.59 points better at 2,864.31.
LONDON MARKETS
An upbeat report on the UK manufacturing sector from the Engineering Employers Federation helped set a positive tone in London, although trading was muted without the presence of the US market. The EEF said UK manufacturers are continuing to report buoyant trading on the back of rising demand in overseas markets, pointing to good prospects for growth in 2010.
In the Midlands, Staffordshire financial software supplier eg Solutions fared well but manufacturers had a mixed day. Black Country aerospace group Hampson Industries rose but steel wheel supplier Titan Europe fell back, despite an upbeat set of interims .
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