BEST AND WORST PERFORMING SECTORS

The best performing sector was textiles and apparel, which gained 6.94 per cent. Shares in Coats Viyella rose 5.7 per cent after chief executive Neville Bain announced his resignation and the company reported a 42 per cent fall in pretax profit. Analysts think it may be too soon to judge whether Coats' turnaround strategy is working.

The second-best sector was oil exploration and production, which rose 3.75 per cent, led by gains in Lasmo. The Irish company Dana Petroleum has acquired the right to buy 20 per cent of Russia's Yuganskoil. The shares rose 19 per cent. Going against the trend, JKX Oil and Gas shares plunged 35 per cent after it cut its estimate of recoverable gas in its Ukraine field by 20 per cent. The company has been forced to a two for three rights issue to raise pounds 14m.

THE WORST performing sector was gas distribution which fell 3.13 per cent. Stocks in support services were also out of favour, falling 2.37 per cent Copyright: IOS & Bloomberg