Sector movers: Non-OPEC oil deal boosts producers

Evraz led its sector to the top of the leaderboard with its stock hitting a new 52-week high as steel rebar prices notched up fresh gains.

Overnight, Chinese steel rebar futures rose from $500.1 a tonne to $524.5 even as Chinese securities traded mostly lower on news that the state insurance regulator had banned Evergrande Life, a subsidiary of the nation’s second biggest developer, from investing in the country´s stocks.

The Shanghai Stock Exchange´s Composite Index lost 2.47% to 3,152.97, alongside a retreat in the yuan and in Chinese government bonds.

Right behind on the leaderboard were oil stocks after eleven non-OPEC countries agreed on Saturday to cut their combined output by 558,000 barrels a day on top of the cuts the oil cartel had already announced on 30 November.

Furthermore, Saudi eliminated a previous 'red line' saying it could lower its own output below the 10.0m b/d mark, analysts at Morgan Stanley pointed out.

Saudi oil minister Khalid al-Falih said: "I can tell you with absolute certainty that effective Jan. 1 we’re going to cut and cut substantially to be below the level that we have committed to on 30 November."

At the cartel´s last meeting, Saudi had pledged to reduce production from 10.7m b/d to 10.06m b/d.

"In case of full compliance, market could be balanced asearlyas 1Q17, with stocks drawing thereafter," Morgan Stanley said.

The broker reiterated its 'overweight' stance on shares of: Shell, BP, Tullow, Technip, Vallourec, Subsea 7.

Heading the other way were Banks and Life insurers, on profit-taking.

Fixed line telecoms were another weak spot in the market, with UBS slashing its target price on Talk Talk from 215p to 160p. Its analysts highlighted how the company had dropped guidance for revenue growth in fiscal year 2017, "following the initial impacts of price plans launched in October 2016".

TalkTalk was also facing greater competition from the likes of Sky, which was pushing into the value end of the UK broadband market, the same broker added..

"This may put pressure on TalkTalk's pricing and/or ability to retain subscribers," UBS said.

Top performing sectors so far today
Industrial Metals & Mining 2,702.49 +16.97%
Oil Equipment, Services & Distribution 16,431.37 +2.85%
Oil & Gas Producers 8,088.51 +2.15%
Mining 15,516.72 +1.07%
Technology Hardware & Equipment 1,031.41 +0.84%

Bottom performing sectors so far today
Forestry & Paper 16,889.49 -2.67%
Banks 4,125.31 -2.13%
Fixed Line Telecommunications 3,941.79 -1.77%
Real Estate Investment Trusts 2,766.14 -1.77%
Life Insurance 7,633.88 -1.70%