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Miners help FTSE rise, M&A supports gains

Published 04/04/2011, 07:43 AM
Updated 04/04/2011, 07:44 AM
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* FTSE up 0.2 percent

* Fresnillo rises, JP Morgan says miners among its top picks

* Vodafone gains on SFR sale

By David Brett

LONDON, April 4 (Reuters) - Commodity stocks led Britain's top share index higher on Monday, as brokers urged investors to keep buying, and further M&A activity lent support, with Vodafone selling its stake in SFR for $11.3 billion to Vivendi.

By 1117 GMT the FTSE 100 was up 13.92 points, or 0.2 percent, at 6,023.84, having hit a nearly six-week closing high on Friday after solid U.S. jobs data boosted confidence surrounding recovery momentum in the World's largest economy.

Volumes were light, however, with the FTSE trading just 31 percent off its average 90-day volume at midday.

London's blue chips have rallied near 8 percent since their 2011-low on March 15, as investors' confidence has returned following the shock of Japan's earthquake.

Risk sensitive sectors were the top performers in the FTSE 100, led by speciality mining stocks and integrated oils as bullish sentiment surrounding the global economic recovery offset concerns over political upheaval in North Africa and the Middle East and Europe's debt crisis.

Precious metals miner Fresnillo gained 3 percent as gold rose back above $1,430 against a weakening dollar, ahead of the European Central Bank's (ECB) next interest rate decision.

The ECB is expected to raise interest rates on Thursday, with bets increasing that the Bank of England as well as the U.S. Federal Reserve might follow suit.

JP Morgan chose miners among its top sector picks in a note on European equity strategy which also included: capital goods, mining, autos, technology, insurance and banks.

"Stay positive on equities, keep buying any dips; Cyclicals (will be a) key beneficiary of broadening recovery and rising bond yields," JP Morgan said.

The broker said dividends, share buybacks and mergers and acquisitions would further boost the appeal of equities.

M&A BOOST

Vodafone rose 0.9 percent, as the market welcomed its move to sell its 44 percent stake in French telecoms operator SFR for 7.75 billion euros ($11.02 billion) to Vivendi.

On Friday Nasdaq OMX and IntercontinentalExchange launched an $11.3 billion bid for NYSE Euronext in an effort to trump Deutsche Boerse's deal.

"M&A is certainly helping sentiment," Keith Bowman, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said.

Aggreko was up 4.8 percent, as the temporary power provider prepared to ship gas and diesel generators to Japan which will provide emergency electricity supplies to the grid from June.

Sandy Jadeja, chief technical analyst at City Index, said that momentum on the FTSE 100 from a technical point of view was "still bullish, but looking a little bit overstretched, which could suggest sideways movement".

He pointed to a resistance area at 6,050 to 6,117, adding that the index needs to hold above 5,908, a level which, if broken, could see the index come down to 5,845, or 5,804.

Banks weighed most on the FTSE, with sector sentiment dampened by worries over the debt situation in Portugal and Ireland, and the potential tightening of regulations surrounding their capital requirements. ($1=.7031 euros) (Additional reporting by Tricia Wright and Simon Jessop; Editing by Greg Mahlich)

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