Annual results today fuelled strong share price performances by widely-held Centrica and Lloyds Banking Group.
On February 20, Centrica and Lloyds shares rose due to strong annual results. Centrica's shares surged after announcing a dividend hike and a £500 million buyback program, despite a drop in operating profit. Lloyds shares increased following a strong fourth quarter and a dividend boost, despite a £700 million provision for motor finance costs. Anglo American shares also rose, despite cutting the value of its De Beers unit by $2.9 billion due to market conditions and lower commodity prices. The FTSE 100 index fell slightly.
