While the FTSE 100 index managed to eke out a small gain by the end of the trading day on Wednesday, the FTSE 250 edged lower, resulting in a mixed day for UK equities. The FTSE 100 added 16 points to close at 5,826. The FTSE 250 lost 22 points, closing the day at 11,873.
Traders have had little in the way of news to get excited about today, said David Madden, a market analyst at IG.
"It's all quiet on the western front as markets are gearing up for non-farm payrolls on Friday and further developments from Madrid," said Madden. "Stocks have been trading in a narrow range, as it appears nobody is willing to stick their neck out and take a firm position. Traders will certainly be watching the payroll figures like hawks, and Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has already voiced his concern over the stubbornly high rate of unemployment in the US."
The main company to grab headlines on Wednesday was FirstGroup (FGP). Shares in the transport company plummeted by nearly 21% after the government made a U-turn decision, announcing that it would not hand over Britain's West Coast rail line to the company in December, as previously planned. The company had originally won the government contract, but now the government says it has found major flaws in the bidding process. All companies, including Virgin Group and FirstGroup, will resubmit bids for the rail contract.
Meanwhile, two of the UK’s leading supermarket chains--Sainsbury (SBRY) and Tesco (TSCO)--updated shareholders on their recent performance. Investors were generally pleased with Sainsbury's numbers and pushed shares higher, while Tesco's numbers disappointed and the shares were weighed down.
In America, a report from ADP showed the US economy added 162,000 private sector jobs in September. Economists had expected a 153,000 increase. The better-than-expected result comes before Friday's payroll data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, the US ISM non-manufacturing index rose to 55.1 in September from 53.7 in August, indicating an expansion in the sector. The reading was better than the slight contraction economists had expected.