ENRC, other miners lead FTSE 100

European equities markets were higher Friday.

In London, the FTSE 100 added 1.85 percent to 5,416.7 while the FTSE 250 gained 1.15 percent to 8,976.7, with the 100 led by miners.

Gains in the prices of industrial metals sent Eurasian (LSE: ENRC) up 9.06 percent while Anglo American (LSE: AAL) was 8.4 percent higher, Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) added 7.98 percent and BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT; NYSE: BHP; ASX: BHP) gained 7.4 percent.

Rounding out the top five on the 100 was TUI Travel (LSE: TT) with an advance of 7.33 percent.

Most banks and the real estate and utilities sectors saw gains, while the retail sector was mixed.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 1,161.06 while the Dax was 0.91 percent higher to 5,234.89, the CAC-40 was up 1.97 percent to 4,332.66 and Madrid’s IBEX gained 2.47 percent to 11,412.

Oil-related shares saw gains as crude oil prices advanced, with Total (Euronext: FP; NYSE: TOT) up 2.2 percent as Italian oil group Eni (BIT: ENI; NYSE: E) added 3 percent and Seadrill Ltd (OSL: SDRL) gained 7.9 percent.

In Spain, construction group Sacyr Vallehermoso (IBEX: VAL) added 9.7 percent on the news that it could sell its 20 percent stake in oil company Repsol (IBEX: REP; NYSE: REP), which was up 5.6 percent on the session.

Most equities markets in the Asia-Pacific region saw gains Friday on the possibility that Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH) could be purchased by Bank of America (NYSE: BAC; TYO: 8648)), while mining shares gained on advances in prices of industrial metals.

Some construction materials groups fell, however, on the possibility that demand in China could decline as property prices there dropped.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 was up 0.93 percent to 12,214.76 while the Topix index added 1.25 percent to 1,177.2 and the Mothers market gained 3.05 percent to 437.16.

The Lehman speculation sent banks higher, with Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) adding 4.3 percent while Resona (TYO: 8308) was up 12 percent on the session.

Consumer lenders also gained, with Orix (TYO: 8591) adding 10 percent.

Chip-making equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron (TYO: 8035) added 4.9 percent, while shippers and traders also saw gains.

Tokyo’s markets will be closed Monday in observation of Respect for the Aged Day.

Elsewhere in the region the Shanghai Composite added 0.03 percent to 2,079.67 while the Taiex was up 0.94 percent to 6,310.68 and the Straits Times Index gained 1.16 percent to 2,570.67.

The Sydney Ordinaries added 1.76 percent to 4,957.1 and the S&P/ASX200 was up 1.86 percent to 4,903.8 in Australia while South Korea’s Kospi gained 2.4 percent to 1,477.92.

Decliners in the region included the Hang Seng, which was down 0.18 percent to 19,352.9, and India’s Sensex, which dropped 2.26 percent to 14,000.81.

At around 1 p.m. in New York, equities markets there were lower with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.79 percent to 11,343.42 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.55 percent to 2,245.71 and the S&P 500 dropped 0.5 percent to 1,242.83.

Markets were hurt by new data showing that retail sales were down in August.

Among department stores, Macy’s (NYSE: M) was down 6.87 percent while JC Penney (NYSE: JCP) fell 5.48 percent and Saks (NYSE: SKS) dropped 2.06 percent.

In the financial sector, Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH) was down 16 percent in early afternoon trade on fears that the US government will not extend the same help it did to Bear Stearns earlier in the year, which allowed it to sell itself rather than declare bankruptcy.

Insurer American International Group (NYSE: AIG) dropped 26 percent just after midday.

Story link: ENRC, other miners lead FTSE 100