LONDON (ShareCast) - Utility provider Severn Trent was leading way higher despite pre-tax profits falling 38% in the year to the end of March. The group announced a special dividend and said it forecast no water restrictions for customers this year.

Meanwhile, several stocks were falling after going ex-dividend - trading without the right for their latest dividend payouts - including National Grid, Capital Shopping Centres Group, and AMEC.

AMEC, the engineering and project management group, announced this morning that it has acquired a Brisbane-based consulting, engineering and technical services business to expand its Environment and Infrastructure service offering in Australia.

Mining groups ENRC, Vedanta and Rio Tinto were firmly out of favour as hopes of a stronger Chinese economy fade. Even Glencore was lower despite revealing that its takeover of agricultural business Viterra has moved a step closer after Viterra passed a special resolution.


FTSE 100 - Risers
Severn Trent (SVT) 1,684.00p +1.20%
Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 275.30p +0.73%
United Utilities Group (UU.) 646.50p +0.70%
Next (NXT) 3,015.00p +0.43%
Kingfisher (KGF) 277.10p +0.18%
International Power (IPR) 414.50p +0.12%
Tate & Lyle (TATE) 677.00p +0.07%


FTSE 100 - Fallers
Eurasian Natural Resources Corp. (ENRC) 439.80p -5.46%
Vedanta Resources (VED) 944.50p -4.98%
Capital Shopping Centres Group (CSCG) 308.00p -4.85%
National Grid (NG.) 653.50p -3.97%
Aberdeen Asset Management (ADN) 237.10p -3.77%
Amec (AMEC) 977.50p -3.69%
Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 1,550.00p -3.67%
Kazakhmys (KAZ) 684.50p -3.66%
Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,816.50p -3.61%
CRH (CRH) 1,131.00p -3.25%

NR

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