(MENAFN- ProactiveInvestors - UK) The FTSE 100 Index edged into the red in early trading in the wake of downbeat Eurozone economic data and falling oil prices.
Top-flight shares fell nearly four points to 6266 and small-cap indices were also in negative territory as German retail sales fell to -0.9% against the 1% expected.
There was mixed news for the European Central Bank as growth in loans to Eurozone businesses edged up in April, but loans to households and money supply growth slowed.
On the equity front, Proton Power Systems Plc (LON:PPS) motored nearly 17% to 4.38p as the fuel cell developer and producer signed a 15mln deal with a blue-chip German customer.
Stellar Diamonds PLC (LON:STEL) sparkled 11.5% to 7.25p on news that it had received a mining licence for its Tongo project in Sierra Leone.
And Democratic Republic of Congo-focused Sacoil Holdings Limited (LON:SAC) spurted 9.1% to 0.9p after it forecast annual basic earnings per share of between 1.23 cents and 2.05 cents, up from a loss per share of 8.54 cents a year ago.
But APC Technology Group PLC (LON:APC) backtracked 9.6% to 8.25p despite record orders fr its specialist electronic component business.
PCG Entertainment Plc (LON:PCGE) was also off colour, down 41.2% to 0.5p, after the AIM listed Asia-Pacific online gaming and media company said it could take a trading and financial hit from a dispute related to an acquisition.
Back in the top flight, a big winner was DCC (LON:DCC) at 6,345p, up just over 1.4%, driven by a broker upgrade last week and energy sector acquisitions.
Mining and oil shares were among the largest losers as the price of a barrel of Brent crude fell back more than 1% to US$49.25.
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Preview at 6.57am
FTSE 100 set for a tepid start after Fed Yellen comments
The FTSE 100 is set for a slow start to the shortened trading week with the spread betting firms predicting the index of blue-chip shares will fall 16 points to 6,254.79 on opening.
Tuesday will be the first time the UK has been able to react to US Federal Reserve chairman Janet Yellen's comments on US interest rates.
'Fed officials have repeatedly claimed that a summer rate hike would be a reasonable assumption, a view that was supported as recently as Friday by chair Janet Yellen, although as always, the decision will be data dependent,' said Craig Erlam, analyst at OANDA.
The Americans will be eyeing the latest jobs figures due later this week to see whether they are supportive of the case for higher borrowing costs.
In Asia, the Shanghai Composite was up almost 3% after Goldman Sachs said there was a good chance China's leading shares would be included in the MSCI Indexes.
This would mean added to demand for the mainland stocks from intuitional investors, including tracker funds.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 was up 0.8% after better than expected industrial output figures.
Here in the UK it is expected to be a fairly quiet week for scheduled company news with building supplies giant Wolseley, car parts firm Halfords and metals specialist Johnson Mattheyat the vanguard.
*Brent crude 2 cents lower at US$49.74 per barrel.
*Gold up US$2.10 an ounce at US$1,215.90.
Market Rumours
*Alliance Trust has confirmed that it has received an informal approach about a 5 billion merger with RIT Capital Partners, which is chaired by the British financier Jacob Rothschild Guardian.
*Telefonica is seeking to move on from the blocked merger of its UK business with CK Hutchison's Three as the Spanish telecoms company plots a future sale or flotation of O2 FT.
City Headlines
*HSBC's Stuart Gulliver is the European bank chief executive who investors would most like to be replaced, according to a recent poll of large shareholders FT.
*Annual profits at Jaguar Land Rover have fallen 40%, despite the carmaker reporting record sales and a 10% rise in revenues FT.
*A third of bosses at Britain's biggest public companies say they have spent up to 1mln preparing for the consequences of leaving the EU Times.
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