LONDON (ShareCast) - Footsie is still in the blue, with fuel-consuming stocks racing ahead on the back of lower crude prices, helping to offset losses among oil stocks.

British Airways is in the lead, joined in the top 10 by the travel agents Thomas Cook and TUI Travel and the cruise operator Carnival. The stocks were boosted by the price of a barrel of crude oil falling below $106.

Tullow Oil leads the fallers, with oil services firm John Wood Group also struggling.

Metal prices also fell, dealing a blow to miners such as Anglo American, Antofagasta and the Kazakh pair ENRC and Kazakhmys.

In the FTSE 250, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey and Bovis are leading the housebuilders higher on the PM's proposals for a new shared equity scheme and plans for big social housing schemes.

Brewer and pub owner Greene King says market conditions remain challenging as consumer confidence continues to weaken and consumer expenditure continues to contract, though it expects to meet this year's targets. Retail sales fell by 1.6% like-for-like in the 16 weeks to 24 August, tenancy division profits are down 1.7% while brewing volumes are 3% lower. Belhaven, in Scotland, is doing well, Greene King said.

KBC Peel Hunt has kept the company as a ‘hold’.

Retailers are higher despite a less than complimentary note on the UK fashion sector from JP Morgan. Next is among the risers after JPM maintained its ‘neutral’ recommendation on the stock with a 1,050p target price.

Marks & Spencer is the broker’s least preferred stock in the sector. JPM maintains its ‘underweight’ rating and predicts further earnings downgrades in the next quarter, although the price target goes up to 220p from 200p

Recruiter Hays lifted full year profits by 25% to £264m with underlying operating profits up 13%. Strong international growth drove the improvement, offsetting weakness in the UK and Australia where Hays says demand for temporary placements has flattened and permanent placements are struggling. Like-for-like net fees in the year to June grew 19% to £787m.

Plant hire group Ashtead increased underlying first quarter profits by 26% to £35.9m on sales up by 5% to £259.5m.

Gaming VC says that the party that made a preliminary approach in April does not wish to proceed with an offer at this time. Gaming VC added it is continuing to trade in line with market expectations.

• News Channel