The FTSE 100 (FTSEINDICES: ^FTSE) is having another dull day, down 4 points to 6,528 by early afternoon, as the G20 summit draws to a close in St Petersburg. But at least it looks like the UK’s top index is going to end its four-week losing streak with a gain this week — at the moment it’s up 115 points since last Friday’s close.
There are a few individual shares on the up at the moment too. Here are three from the FTSE indices rising today:
Tullow Oil
Tullow Oil (LSE: TLW) got a nice boost this morning, after announcing a “breakthrough oil discovery” in the Barents Sea offshore Norway. The shares put on 24p (2.3%) to 1,057p as a result, which is very welcome after a 12-month period that has seen them fall more than 25%.
Drilling at the Wisting Central exploration well has apparently made the first ever oil discovery in the Hoop-Maud Basin, finding 50-60 metres of light oil in good quality strata — and Tullow has a 20% stake in it. Further exploratory drilling will now be required.
Marks & Spencer
Shares in Marks & Spencer (LSE: MKS) are continuing their mini-surge, up 5.1p (1%) to 500p this morning to reach a new high for the year. The price has gained 47p (10%) since mid-August, as sentiment towards the retail sector in general seems to be improving.
For M&S itself, the prospects are looking increasingly bright as the high street firm’s turnaround plan comes to fruition — UK sales were up at the interim stage, online sales are starting to soar, and the company’s stores are still places to be seen at in emerging markets.
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment (LSE: BPTY) told us today that its new partypoker.com venture has gone live and is apparently “jam-packed with exciting new features”. The market responded moderately favourably, with a 1.9p (1.7%) share price rise to 114p.
Bwin’s shares have had a very erratic ride over the past 12 months. From a 2013 low of 101p in January, they reached close to 160p in March before dropping all the way back to 110p in June — still, it’s perhaps a more exciting way to match the FTSE overall.
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> Alan does not own any shares mentioned in this article.