Insurers and banking stocks were leading gains on the FTSE 100 in the run up to midday (3 March) as Standard Chartered pleased the market with on-target results.

The global banking group’s share price was up 2.5 per cent to 1630.50 pence (1100 hrs), just behind Legal & General, up 3 per cent to 75.50 pence.

John Peace, chairman of Standard Chartered said that 2009 was the seventh successive year of record income and profits, noting that the bank had used its liquidity position well during the economic volatility.

He explained, ‘ The bank has used its increasingly powerful brand to capture market share from competitors and to deepen relationships with customers and clients.

'The bank enters 2010 with real resilience and momentum.’

Impairment losses on loans were up year on year at the bank, however, from £879 million ($1,321 million) to £1,331 ($2,000 million).

A final dividend of 44.80 cents per share has been recommended, making up a total annual dividend of 66.03 cents per share – up 7 per cent year on year.

Pearce added, ‘Throughout the crisis, we stayed open for business and have continued to produce record income and profits on a sustained basis.

'We have increased our capital base, raised our dividends and continued to invest in the business and generated substantial value for our shareholders over an extended period of time.’

Barclays Stockbrokers
Top ten trades
Tuesday 2 March 2010

Buy
1. Prudential, 11.6 per cent
2. Lloyds Banking Group, 5 per cent
3. Aviva, 3.3 per cent
4. Royal Bank of Scotland, 2.2 per cent
5. HSBC Holdings, 1.7 per cent
6. Taylor Wimpey, 1.5 per cent
7. Pace, 1.5 per cent
8. Vedanta Resources, 1.5 per cent
9. Chariot Oil and Gas, 1.4 per cent
10. Desire Petroleum, 1.3 per cent

Sell
1. Barclays 13.1 per cent
2. Lloyds Banking Group, 4.6 per cent
3. Royal Bank of Scotland, 3.9 per cent
4. Xstrata, 3.1 per cent
5. Vodafone Group, 2.3 per cent
6. Rio Tinto, 2 per cent
7. Prudential, 1.8 per cent
8. Kazakhmys, 1.6 per cent
9. BP, 1.6 per cent
10. BHP Billiton, 1.2 per cent