By Dow Jones Business News, March 07, 2013, 05:00:00 AM EDT
By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Aggreko PLC led the London benchmark higher on Thursday after a well-received earnings report,
while investors also awaited the latest policy decision from the Bank of England.
The FTSE 100 index added 0.4% to 6,452.79, climbing back from a 0.1% decline on Wednesday.
Shares of temporary-power provider Aggreko jumped 10%, after the firm reported a rise in full-year pretax profit and
affirmed the outlook for 2013. See: Aggreko '12 year pretax net up; outlook affirmed
IMI PLC shares picked up 5.8%. The engineering group declared an 8% increase in the full-year dividend and said it
plans to buy back 175 million pounds ($263.64 million) of its stock over the next 12 months. See: IMI '12 pretax net up;
payout lifted; buyback set
Global asset-management company Schroders PLC gained 1.8%, as it raised dividends for the full year to 43 pence from
39 pence in 2011. It also posted a decline in revenue and pretax profit. See: Schroders '12 pretax profit off 12%;
dividend up
Also among notable gainers in London, shares of insurance firm Standard Life PLC rose 1.4%. The company posted a rise
in full-year profit amid improvement in the U.K. business. See: Standard Life net higher; proposes special payout
For another insurer, Aviva PLC the trading day looked less rosy, with its shares falling 12%. The firm reported a
total loss after tax of GBP3.05 billion and cut its full-year dividend to 19 pence from 26 pence. See: Aviva '12
operating net off 10%; dividend reduced
Later in the day, the spotlight turns to the Bank of England, when it concludes its monthly monetary-policy meeting.
No changes to policy are expected, although some analysts have said the possibility of an increase in the bank's asset-
purchase program is higher on the back of the latest meeting, where three members voted for a liquidity boost.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
03-07-130500ET
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