FTSE 100 movers: Financials find favour on stimulus hint; Doldrums for dollar earners

Financials propped up a flat Footsie after Bank of England Governor Mark Carney suggested the central bank could intervene if the economy weakened.

‘The possibility of the economic outlook softening, that there is less demand for credit for various reasons and if the outlook has worsened ... in the judgment of the MPC, there always could be monetary response if that's consistent with its remit,’ Carney told parliament's Treasury committee.

Aviva, Barclays, Standard Life, Legal & General and Prudential all rose on the news, while wealth manager St James's Place was also higher.

Housebuilders were cheered by the possibility of another cut in UK interest rates with Taylor Wimpey gaining.

Shire shares rose after the US Food and Drug Administration approved its lifitegrast eye drops for treating signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Lifitegrast, to be sold under the Xiidra name, is expected to launch in the third quarter.

The stronger pound hit dollar earners such as miners with Randgold and Fresnillo lower. Pharma stocks AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Reckitt also felt the pain of the sterling surge.

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 6,683.47 0.01%

FTSE 100 - Risers

Aviva (AV.) 383.00p 4.56%
St James's Place (STJ) 820.00p 3.86%
Barclays (BARC) 150.20p 3.30%
Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 56.62p 3.23%
Shire Plc (SHP) 4,962.00p 2.99%
Glencore (GLEN) 182.70p 2.76%
Legal & General Group (LGEN) 188.50p 2.67%
Prudential (PRU) 1,274.50p 2.62%
Standard Life (SL.) 283.30p 2.53%
Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 144.30p 2.49%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 9,190.00p -3.52%
Fresnillo (FRES) 1,924.00p -3.02%
Mediclinic International (MDC) 1,084.00p -2.87%
Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 2,541.00p -2.27%
AstraZeneca (AZN) 4,464.00p -2.02%
Reckitt Benckiser Group (RB.) 7,554.00p -1.79%
Sage Group (SGE) 644.00p -1.68%
British American Tobacco (BATS) 4,837.00p -1.68%
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,637.00p -1.53%
BAE Systems (BA.) 537.50p -1.47%