Stock Watch ; Stocks and Shares in Association With TSG

By Bronwyn Huddleston Portfolio Manager Barclays Wealth

THE FTSE 100 Index clawed back some of its early losses, ending the day down 29.1 points at 6559.3.

The market was dominated by news that the US Department of Justice had launched an investigation into BAE Systems’ dealings with Saudi Arabia, sending shares in the company plummeting by 34.5p to 407.5p.

Stocks in the mining sector extended Monday’s falls with Rio Tinto slipping 24p to 3769p, Anglo American losing 40p to 2955p and BHP Billiton easing 6p to 1385p.

On a brighter note, Vodafone was one of the top performing stocks, rising 2.4p to 160.1p after reports that an activist shareholder may pressure the company to spin off its Verizon Wireless stake. Credit information service company Experian saw its shares gain 11p to 600.5p as investors cheered news that it had bought a stake in a Brazilian credit bureau.

(c) 2007 The Journal – Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.