Today’s market close resulted in some considerable distance between the haves and have-nots after a mixed set of results.

Infrastructure and oil servicing company, AMEC, saw its share price topple nearly seven per cent to 55.0 pence after warning about the outlook for the markets in which it operates.

Despite the market reaction, the company did post earnings up 13 per cent to £208.3 milllion. This was enough to summon interest from some retail investors, propelling it into the top ten trades table, accounting for 10 per cent of all retail purchases with TD Waterhouse this morning.

Ian Mchoul, chief financial officer of AMEC said that he expected 2010 to be a very challenging year.

He explained, ‘Although the level of project awards is forecast to improve and stimulus funding is expected to be released, the timing of both activities is likely to be back-end loaded.

‘There is expected to be increasing pricing pressure from customers, although the impact will be mitigated by the on-going positive effects of [project] Operational Excellence and other internal efficiency drives.’

Elsewhere, investment manager Schroders was enjoying a very different day. It ended the day much the way it started today with a rocketing share price up six per cent to 1310.0 pence.

Investors cheered the company’s pre tax profits of £200.2 million – way ahead of market expectations.

Related stories:
• Market update (AM): Schroders dazzles with unexpected profits

TD Waterhouse
Top ten trades
Thursday 4 March (morning session)

Buy
1. Aviva, 14.1 per cent
2. Lloyds Banking Group, 13.9 per cent
3. Royal Bank of Scotland, 12.2 per cent
4. Prudential, 10.7 per cent
5. Amec, 10.1 per cent
6. Rockhopper Exploration, 9.6 per cent
7. Barclays, 8.8 per cent
8. Desire Petroleum, 7.5 per cent
9. Nighthawk Energy, 7.3 per cent
10. Xstrata, 5.8 per cent

Sell
1. Lloyds Banking Group, 28 per cent
2. Royal Bank of Scotland, 27.1 per cent
3. Barclays, 17.4 per cent
4. Gulf Keystone, 5.7 per cent
5. Kazakhmys, 4.2 per cent
6. Desire Petroleum, 4.2 per cent
7. Afren, 3.7 per cent
8. Nighthawk Energy, 3.4 per cent
9. Xstrata, 3.4 per cent
10. Prudential, 3 per cent