FTSE 100 movers: StanChart, miners and Tesco lift index

The FTSE 100 was generally on the up through most of Wednesday's session, with some well-received financial results accompanied by a mining sector bounce.

London's blue chip index was ahead by 0.78% at 6,738.50 points at 1616 BST, with BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto leading the pack thanks to encouraging data from China, and perhaps some short covering by traders ahead of the next less-encouraging round of data, as the Chinese economy continues to undergo a correction.

Metals' prices were mixed but the mining majors, along with Glencore, were also upgraded by broker Liberum, who said the trio has approached "plausible fair value", with iron ore's downside largely priced in and copper prices looking skewed to the upside.

Antofagasta and Anglo American were also on the rise, though the latter remained a sell for Liberum's analysts.

Shares in Legal & General were given a lift as the insurer posted a 6% rise in first-half pre-tax profit and an 18% increase in operating profit on the back of strong organic growth in the UK and US, beating analysts' expectations across the board. Stronger cash led to directors hiking the interim dividend to boot.

Standard Chartered's share price chart painted a telling picture, with the market not quite sure what to make of the bank's interim results. An unexpectedly sharp fall in profits and earnings, plus a halving of the dividend, was initially met with a short downward spike before the realisation that the savings from the slashed payout could reduce the likelihood of a right issue. By late afternoon, with analysts such as those at Nomura neutral, the price was almost flat on the day.

Easyjet shares took off on the back of encouraging passenger data from budget rivals Ryanair and Wizz Air.

Tesco shares were also following the herd higher. Traders attributed the rise to negotiations between management and irate dairy farmers coupled with the supermarket maintaining its number one sport in Ireland and recent industry data from Kantar showing the grocer's smallest decline in sales for two years.

Falling the most was Travis Perkins after stock in the builders merchant was downgraded by Citigroup to 'neutral' as its valuation was now "full" even after Tuesday's results pushed the shares lower.

Although it trumpeted the news that it has held onto the rights to show Spanish Primera Liga football, Sky's shares took a dive.

Rolls-Royce was lower despite a note from Credit Suisse upgrading the engine maker as negatives are now "priced in".

FTSE 100 - Risers
BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,201.50p +3.67%
Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,559.50p +3.60%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 591.00p +2.87%
Legal & General Group (LGEN) 269.80p +2.43%
Sage Group (SGE) 526.00p +2.24%
Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 383.80p +2.13%
Anglo American (AAL) 801.20p +2.13%
Tesco (TSCO) 215.10p +2.09%
easyJet (EZJ) 1,701.00p +1.80%
HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 591.80p +1.65%

FTSE 100 - Fallers
Travis Perkins (TPK) 2,149.00p -3.07%
ITV (ITV) 274.40p -1.54%
Sports Direct International (SPD) 800.50p -1.36%
Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 2,355.00p -1.26%
Relx plc (REL) 1,118.00p -1.24%
Meggitt (MGGT) 495.50p -1.10%
Imperial Tobacco Group (IMT) 3,357.00p -1.03%
G4S (GFS) 274.30p -1.01%
Sky (SKY) 1,129.00p -0.96%
Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 817.50p -0.79%