Report filed at market close

Prudential fought of competition from London-based brewer SAB Miller this afternoon to maintain its position at the top of the gains list.

Right from the off, the insurer made gains after further speculation in relation to the success of its record rights issue, launched to fund the takeover of AIG’s Asian business AIA. The Pru ended up 2.5 per cent at 530 pence, enough to finish the day at the top of the pile.

SAB Miller, however, put up a strong fight for the top spot after analysts noted the business was making a better-than-anticipated recovery in the emerging markets of Latin America and Asia – which contribute to over 85 per cent of the company’s overall profits.

Despite a wobble earlier in the week, SAB Miller performed well, finishing up 2.47 per cent at 1,908 pence. Fellow defensive stock Reckitt Benckiser finished up 2.2 per cent at 3,234 pence.

Meanwhile, the misery continued for oil giant BP, which is witnessing no immediate end to the fall-out from the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. Its share price slumped further today after reports this morning of a US warning over the British oil company’s efforts to seal the leak, which is now affecting wildlife within the marshes of Louisiana.

This resulted in it rooted to the bottom of the fallers table yet again, shedding a further 2.7 per cent at 493 pence by the end of the day.

Capita Group, meanwhile, fell victim to news from the new UK coalition government that a number of QUANGO (quasi non-governmental organisations) and government offices were to be culled or shrunk, reducing the need for outsourced support. Its share price dipped accordingly, down 2.6 per cent at 778.5 pence.


Top ten trades
Monday 24 May (until noon)
Source: TD Waterhouse

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Buy
1. BP, 19.4 per cent
2. Lloyds Banking Group, 14 per cent
3. Rockhopper Exploration, 12.3 per cent
4. Royal Bank of Scotland Group, 11.1 per cent
5. Barclays, 9.6 per cent
6. Xstrata, 7.9 per cent
7. Vodafone, 7.8 per cent
8. National Grid, 6.8 per cent
9. Aviva, 6.1 per cent
10. Desire Petroleum, 5 per cent

Sell
1. Lloyds Banking Group, 17.4 per cent
2. BP, 15.2 per cent
3. Royal Bank of Scotland, 13.9 per cent
4. Barclays, 13.3 per cent
5. Rockhopper Exploration, 10.9 per cent
6. Blinkx, 7.4 per cent
7. Xstrata, 7.2 per cent
8. Enegi Oil, 5 per cent
9. Taylor Wimpey, 5 per cent
10. Desire Petroleum, 4.8 per cent