London close: Stocks inch higher in shortened session as Santa Rally continues

The UK stock market closed a half-session in positive territory on Christmas Eve to extend its winning streak into the seventh straight day.

With trading volumes low - many European markets were already closed for Christmas - London stocks were rangebound for most of the session as investors refrained from taking on too much risk ahead of the four-day festive break.

Nevertheless, the FTSE 100 still managed to close 0.2% higher at 6,610 by the end of trade at 12:30.

Stock exchanges in Paris and Madrid were also open for a half-day, while markets in Frankfurt and Milan were already closed.

Trading volumes were “thinner than the spread on Scrooge’s Christmas table”, according to analyst Chris Beauchamp from IG. “However the Santa Rally did its work and markets look a lot healthier than they did just a week ago.”

Also supporting stocks was speculation that Japan’s newly re-elected prime minister Shinzo Abe is set to push through a $29bn stimulus package to boost regional economies and low-income households.

Stock futures on Wall Street were heading higher ahead of the opening bell with the Dow Jones benchmark index set to extend gains after hitting a new record high of 18,024 on Tuesday on the back of an upwards revision to US growth estimates.

The only major economic data release on Wednesday will be US jobless claims figures for last week. Claims are expected to have risen just 1,000 to 290,000 in the week ended 20 December.

Financial markets in the US, Europe and parts of Asia will be closed Thursday for Christmas Day. Japan and China, however, remain open.

Smith & Nephew a big mover on a quiet news day

Shares in Smith & Nephew surged on the back of rumours that US surgical implants group Stryker Corp could return to the table to launch a takeover offer within weeks. According to Bloomberg, which cited “people with knowledge of the matter”, Stryker is looking to make a bid at a premium of around 30% to S&N’s current share price and is not planning a controversial tax-inversion deal.

Financials were also providing a lift with Direct Line, RBS, RSA Insurance and Standard Chartered putting in decent gains.

Real estate group Intu Properties fell after buying the Puerto Venecia shopping centre and retail park in Zaragoza, Spain, for €451m. Intu’s chief executive David Fischel said Puerto Venecia is “another great addition for the group” and “substantially accelerates our activities in Spain”.

Among the small-cap stocks, the share price of India-focused Hardy Oil & Gas plunged by 24% after the firm “consented to the relinquishment” of an exploration licence. The company said that $22m of its intangible assets attributable to licence D3 “will be subject to write down in the current financial year”.

Market Movers
techMARK 2,967.14 +0.45%
FTSE 100 6,609.93 +0.18%
FTSE 250 16,104.92 +0.07%

FTSE 100 - Risers
Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,173.00p +7.71%
TUI AG Reg Shs (Post- 16/12/14)(DI) (TUIJ) 1,068.00p +1.33%
ITV (ITV) 216.20p +0.98%
Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 394.90p +0.95%
AstraZeneca (AZN) 4,555.50p +0.86%
Standard Chartered (STAN) 958.40p +0.78%
Centrica (CNA) 284.70p +0.78%
Weir Group (WEIR) 1,927.00p +0.78%
British Land Co (BLND) 781.50p +0.77%
Tesco (TSCO) 186.00p +0.76%

FTSE 100 - Fallers
Indivior (INDV) 145.00p -3.33%
Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 4,153.00p -2.05%
Shire Plc (SHP) 4,470.00p -1.39%
BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,369.00p -0.98%
Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 3,396.00p -0.93%
Schroders (SDR) 2,690.00p -0.88%
Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI) (CCH) 1,246.00p -0.80%
Admiral Group (ADM) 1,336.00p -0.74%
Experian (EXPN) 1,095.00p -0.73%
Old Mutual (OML) 190.20p -0.73%

FTSE 250 - Risers
Alent (ALNT) 344.20p +4.59%
Dechra Pharmaceuticals (DPH) 849.50p +2.91%
SSP Group (SSPG) 294.10p +2.69%
Micro Focus International (MCRO) 1,107.00p +2.59%
De La Rue (DLAR) 530.50p +2.31%
COLT Group SA (COLT) 135.00p +2.27%
Ophir Energy (OPHR) 143.70p +2.20%
Kier Group (KIE) 1,515.00p +2.16%
Barr (A.G.) (BAG) 604.00p +2.11%
Petra Diamonds Ltd.(DI) (PDL) 195.50p +2.09%

FTSE 250 - Fallers
Centamin (DI) (CEY) 56.35p -6.32%
Stock Spirits Group (STCK) 218.00p -5.63%
Afren (AFR) 49.00p -3.54%
Vedanta Resources (VED) 574.00p -3.37%
NMC Health (NMC) 465.00p -3.02%
Jimmy Choo (CHOO) 170.00p -2.86%
Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 1,977.00p -2.37%
Synergy Health (SYR) 2,031.00p -2.17%
Polymetal International (POLY) 544.00p -2.07%
RPS Group (RPS) 214.00p -2.01%