A few upbeat corporate results announcements conspired to keep the FTSE 100 Index in the black on Tuesday despite pressure from miners.
The Footsie was 4.27 points ahead at 6842.32 as support services group Bunzl PLC (LON:BNZL) posted strong first-half results, which benefited from the plunging pound.
Bunzl does more than 85% of its business outside the UK, meaning sterling's weakness after the EU referendum vote will lift its performance for the rest of the year if rates stay at current levels. Its shares rose 39p to 2459p.
The same was true of engineering group Dewhurst PLC (LON:DWHT), whose full-year results are now expected to be significantly higher than current forecasts due to the fall in the pound. The stock gained 60p to 687.5p.
But the stronger dollar and the prospect of a US interest rate hike weighed on miners, with Randgold Resources (LON:RRS) being the sector's biggest victim, down 340p at 7335p.
The FTSE 250 Index, which is relatively heavy in UK-focused stocks, was in the red due to the falling pound, but small-cap indices were all modestly in positive territory.
Galileo Resources PLC (LON:GLR) was the top gainer, up 24% at 1.28p after selling its Gabbs property in Nevada for £1.9mln in cash to help fund its copper exploration in South Africa.
Mosman Oil & Gas Limited (LON:MSMN) also increased by 9.8% to 1.13p as the New Zealand and Australia-focused oil explorer and developer welcomed updates from companies in which it has stakes.
But shares in Botswana and southern Africa coal-bed methane group Tlou Energy Ltd (LON:TLOU) lost 15% to 7p on news of a proposed capital raising.
And Pressure Technologies Plc (LON:PRES) was under pressure by 12.7% to 137.5p as the specialist engineer forecast a significant hit to full-year results from contract delays.
Back in the top flight, Glencore PLC (LON:GLEN) was down 3.5% to 178.45p. The group has suspended production at its Newlands coal mine in Australia after a contract worker died.
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As traders return after the long weekend, FTSE 100 is called to open higher as commodity prices make gains and after a higher close on Wall Street.
This week looks fairly quiet on the company front as summer draws to a close, but on the cards today is more on the ARM Holdings (LON:ARM) controversial £24bn takeover by Japan's SoftBank as shareholders of the UK's biggest high-tech firm get an AGM vote today.
Also on the agenda is a possible penalty from the European Commission levelled at US tech giant Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) over its affairs with the Irish government, making it potentially liable to pay back taxes.
On Friday, the FTSE 100 Index closed 0.31% up, or around 21 points at 6,838, but today is expected to open around eight points higher.
In the US, the Dow Jones added 0.58% to 18,502, while the broader S&P500 index gained 0.52% at 2,180.
US crude oil is up 0.45% to US$47.19, having been lower earlier after jitters after US Federal Reserve governor Janet Yellen's comments on Friday at Jackson Hole, which hinted at a US rate rise next month.
Oil is priced in US dollars, and a rate rise could make it more expensive to foreign buyers.
Copper prices are also up - 0.6% to $4,642 a metric ton, which has sent commodities-related company shares prices up.
In Asia, the Shanghai Composite Index is up 0.39% to 3,082 with around an hour of trading left, while Japan's Nikkei 225 index is down a tad - 0.07% to 16,726.
City headlines
Mondelez abandons Hershey takeover bid - The Financial Times
Apple to be hit with multi-million euro tax demand- The Telegraph
Foreign investment boom boosts UK growth hopes - The Telegraph
The last gasp bid to keep ARM British: Shareholders to vote on £24bn Japanese takeover- ThisisMoney