Investors in Wait-and-See Mode

WEDNESDAY MARKET UPDATE: Markets were generally quiet, but shares in Tesco, Sainbury and First Group made significant moves

Alanna Petroff 3 October, 2012 | 6:56PM Jeremy Glaser
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While the FTSE 100 index managed to eke out a small gain by the end of the trading day on Wednesday, the FTSE 250 edged lower, resulting in a mixed day for UK equities. The FTSE 100 added 16 points to close at 5,826. The FTSE 250 lost 22 points, closing the day at 11,873.

Traders have had little in the way of news to get excited about today, said David Madden, a market analyst at IG.

"It's all quiet on the western front as markets are gearing up for non-farm payrolls on Friday and further developments from Madrid," said Madden. "Stocks have been trading in a narrow range, as it appears nobody is willing to stick their neck out and take a firm position. Traders will certainly be watching the payroll figures like hawks, and Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has already voiced his concern over the stubbornly high rate of unemployment in the US." 

The main company to grab headlines on Wednesday was FirstGroup (FGP). Shares in the transport company plummeted by nearly 21% after the government made a U-turn decision, announcing that it would not hand over Britain's West Coast rail line to the company in December, as previously planned. The company had originally won the government contract, but now the government says it has found major flaws in the bidding process. All companies, including Virgin Group and FirstGroup, will resubmit bids for the rail contract. 

Meanwhile, two of the UK’s leading supermarket chains--Sainsbury (SBRY) and Tesco (TSCO)--updated shareholders on their recent performance. Investors were generally pleased with Sainsbury's numbers and pushed shares higher, while Tesco's numbers disappointed and the shares were weighed down.

In America, a report from ADP showed the US economy added 162,000 private sector jobs in September. Economists had expected a 153,000 increase. The better-than-expected result comes before Friday's payroll data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, the US ISM non-manufacturing index rose to 55.1 in September from 53.7 in August, indicating an expansion in the sector. The reading was better than the slight contraction economists had expected.

The information contained within is for educational and informational purposes ONLY. It is not intended nor should it be considered an invitation or inducement to buy or sell a security or securities noted within nor should it be viewed as a communication intended to persuade or incite you to buy or sell security or securities noted within. Any commentary provided is the opinion of the author and should not be considered a personalised recommendation. The information contained within should not be a person's sole basis for making an investment decision. Please contact your financial professional before making an investment decision.

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Securities Mentioned in Article

Security NamePriceChange (%)Morningstar
Rating
FirstGroup PLC162.20 GBX-3.68
Sainsbury (J) PLC263.40 GBX0.38Rating
Tesco PLC296.30 GBX1.47Rating

About Author

Alanna Petroff

Alanna Petroff  is a financial journalist with Morningstar UK.

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