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FTSE100 closes a tad higher as investors looks to US jobs report

Last updated: 16:37 06 Nov 2014 GMT, First published: 17:37 06 Nov 2014 GMT

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FTSE100 ended Thursday in positive territory with UK supermarkets the big risers, but investor mood is cautious ahead of tomorrows non-farm payrolls from the US.

After being lower earlier, the premier index closed up 12 at 6,551.

The ECB today left its base interest rate unchanged at a bargain basement  0.05% but did saying policymakers would take more action on monetary easing if necessary to boost the economy.

In London, the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street also decided to maintain its rate at 0.5% and asset purchases at £375bn, as had been expected

Regarding  the US, the mood is for a postive job creation report for tomorrow after the ADP payroll processor firm showed robust numbers.

On Footsie , the biggest gainer was miner Randgold Resources (LON:RRS

Group production increased to 299,320 ounces from 233,677 ounces, while sales went up to 295,018 ounces from 262,850 ounces a year ago, though revenues were affected by a lower average gold price received of $1,277 per ounce against $1,327 ounce a year ago.

Sainsbury's (LON:SBRY) added 6.03%, while Morrison's (LON:MRW) shares gained 6.02%, despite the supermarket chain reporting a slide in sales.

The firm said it is still on course for its full year profit expectations, although it lowered the range from £335mln to £365m from previous guidance of £325 to £375m.

That seemed to be enough for the City, which welcomed the news with the buying of the stock.

Marks (LON:MKS), the High Street outfitter, was also up again  today, after yeserday's surge on the back of results, as more brokers weighed in with positive comments and ratings.

Shares gained 5.92% on the day.

The biggest loser was  RSA Insurance (LON:RSA), which shed 4.96%.

Dairy Crest (LON:DCG) shares zoomed up almost 15% as the market appeared to welcome news this morning that it has sold its dairies operation, which processes and distributes milk, to Germany's Mueller for £80mln.

Meanwhile, profits at the dairy food company fell 95% to £900,000 in its latest half year.

The firm said the combination will "create a more sustainable UK dairy sector by delivering economies of scale and cost efficiencies that will underpin investment in the industry".

Sula Iron & Gold (LON:SULA) was also up over 11%. The firm's focus is on developing the Ferensola project in Northern Sierra Leone, which is highly prospective for iron and gold.

One of the two iron targets there lies next to African Minerals’ (LON:AMI) Tonkolili deposit.

Earlier this week, shares in AMI surged as it set out the advantages to African Mineral's of Timis Corp's acquisition of London Mining's Marampa iron ore mine from the administrators, PwC.

Timis was established and is wholly owned by African Mineral's executive chairman Frank Timis.

In other small cap news, SeaEnergy (LON:SEA) rose over 14% after it said it's set to move into “sustainable profitability” as it reported growth across all its business  units.

At the vanguard was its Return to Scene business (R2S), which collates 360-degree images from oil rigs.

In an updated on current trading, SeaEnergy said demand for its services “remains high” from operators in the UK North Sea, US and Mexico as well as new international markets such as Canada and Southeast Asia.  

It is expecting at least one international oil major to adopt R2S by the first quarter of next year.

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