Shares flat in early trading

MORNING REPORT: Shares were flat in quiet and uncertain early trade, with strength amongst engineering groups limiting losses as the mining fraternity sagged and Prudential slumped after a broker downgrade.

At 8:30am, the FTSE100 was up just 1.47 points at 5,659.08 with the FTSE250 ahead 30.4 points at 10,755.3 and the FTSE Smallcaps 3.61 points better at 3,045.35.

US & ASIA

In the US Friday, the Dow added 58 points at 11,006, the Nasdaq Composite gained 18 points at 2,402 and the S&P500 rose 7 points at 1,165.

In Asia today, Japanese markets are closed for a public holiday. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng ended the morning up 273 points at 23,217.

Crude oil traded at $83.11 a barrel on Nymex.

Gold settled at $1,352 an ounce.

LONDON MARKETS

In the corporate diary for the day, final results are due from Nautical Petroleum and YouGov .

Trading statements are expected from E2V Technologies , Ladbrokes, Travis Perkins and X5 Retail Group .

The Indian Film Company and Trinity Capital host their AGMs.