LONDON (ShareCast) - Strong gains from QinetiQ help keep the aerospace and defence sector higher against declines elsewhere in the markets. The supplier of James Bond-style gadgets such as torpedo counter-measure devices and unmanned reconnaissance vessels was awarded a maritime facilities contract by the Ministry of Defence worth more than £150m over the next 15 years. Qinetiq’s peer BAE also advances.

Uranium specialist Brinkley leads the industrial metals sector lower after announcing it would cease operations in Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The decision to leave Chad comes after a £550,000 write down in the value of its assets there following a geographical survey and amid political turmoil in the central African country. Write downs in DRC were even higher at £6.3m. Elsewhere in industrial metals, ferrochrome producers Ferrexpo and International Ferro Metals are lower in line with falling metals prices.


Top performing sectors so far today
Automobiles & Parts 3,949.00 +1.83%
Electronic & Electrical Equipment 2,061.50 +0.32%
Construction & Materials 4,450.70 +0.25%
Industrial Transportation 2,460.10 +0.14%
Aerospace and Defence 3,377.90 +0.04%

Bottom performing sectors so far today
Industrial Metals 5,691.00 -4.96%
Technology Hardware & Equipment 241.20 -4.85%
Life Insurance 4,211.60 -3.18%
Forestry & Paper 3,444.10 -2.74%
Beverages 6,729.90 -2.39%

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