COMPANIES

Shares in Lloyds Banking Group were down on the FTSE 100 in afternoon trading ahead of the group's full year results, expected tomorrow.

Shares in British American Tobacco were down on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the company reported a rise in revenue and adjusted profit in the full year ended 31 December 2010.

Shares in Centrica were up on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the energy company and owner of British Gas reported a rise in operating profit in the full year ended 31 December 2010.

Shares in British banks were down on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after RBS issued somewhat disappointing full year results for 2010.

Shares in RBS were down on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the part-nationalised bank said it had significantly cut its losses in the full year ended 31 December 2010.

Budget airline easyJet today said that it would be launching a "major expansion" of its operations in Scotland, by introducing a fifth aircraft to serve Edinburgh airport and upgrading one of its four planes currently flying from Glasgow airport.

Shares in RBS were up on the FTSE 100 in afternoon trading ahead of the part-nationalised bank's full year results, expected tomorrow.

Shares in Logica were down on the FTSE 250 in morning trading despite the IT company quadrupling its pre-tax profit in the full year 2010.

Shares in British banks were up on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after a U.S. judge ruled in favour of Barclays bank in a case looking at the sale of Lehman Brothers assets in 2008.

Shares in Rexam were down on the FTSE 100 despite the packaging company reporting a rise in sales and pre-tax profit in the full year 2010.

Supermarket chain Asda today reported a rise in fourth quarter like for like sales of 1.6 per cent, thanks to what it called a "good Christmas" and the strong growth of its "Extra Special" range of goods.

Shares in BP were down on the FTSE 100 in afternoon trading after the energy giant said it would be selling its interests in the Wytch Farm onshore oilfield in Dorset and its operated gas fields in the Southern North Sea.

Shares in Pendragon were up on the FTSE All Share in morning trading after the car dealer reported a rise in revenue and pre-tax profit in the full year ended 31 December 2010.

BAA, the owner of Heathrow and Stansted airports, reported another loss in the full year ended 31 December 2010.

Shares in British banks were broadly down on the FTSE 100 in morning trading as political violence and unrest continued to engulf the oil rich nation of Libya.

Shares in Drax were down on the FTSE 250 in morning trading despite the power station owner reporting a rise in earnings and pre-tax profit in the full year ended 31 December 2010.

Shares in Royal Dutch Shell were down on the FTSE 100 in afternoon trading after the energy giant said it would selling most of its shareholding in its downstream business in Africa for around a billion dollars.

Shares in Diageo were up on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the beverage company said it would be acquiring Turkish spirits company Mey Icki for £1.3 billion.

Shares in British banks were down on the FTSE 100 in morning trading as political unrest in Libya escalated over the weekend.

Shares in Hammerson were up on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the real estate company reported a return to profit in the full year ended 31 December 2010.

Shares in Rentokil Initial took a dive on the FTSE 250 in morning trading after the group reported a sharp decline in pre-tax profit in the full year ended 31 December 2010.

Shares in British banks were down on the FTSE 100 in morning trading following earlier gains this week.

Shares in Go-Ahead Group were up on the FTSE 250 in morning trading after the transport company reported a rise in revenue and pre-tax profit in the half year ended 1 January 2011.

Shares in Redrow were down on the FTSE 250 in afternoon trading despite the group saying it had returned to profit in the half year ended 31 December 2010.

Shares in Ladbrokes were down on the FTSE 250 in afternoon trading after the bookmaker reported a fall in total profit in the full year ended 31 December 2010.

Shares in British banks were up on the FTSE 100 as investor confidence about banks earnings started to increase.

Shares in Reed Elsevier were flat on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the technology and medical company reported a small rise in revenue and adjusted pre-tax profit in 2010.

Shares in BAE Systems were flat on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the defence group announced weak growth in revenue and EBITA in the full year 2010.

Shares in BAE Systems were up on the FTSE 100 in afternoon trading ahead of the defence company's full year results, expected tomorrow.