RAMSEY CROOKALL & CO 23rd July 2012

Evening Report

The FTSE 100 closed 2.1% adrift at 5533.87. Ends off intraday lows, but there is little to shout about with not one of the index's components finishing in positive territory. The focus has been on Europe, as concerns mount on the solvency of Spain and Italy. Cyclical stocks lead the falls in London, with Evraz posting the biggest losses.

The world's largest platinum producer, Anglo American Platinum reported a net loss of 464 million South African Rand ($55.3 million) due to lower metal prices and a drop in sales during the first half of the year.

Tanzania-focused gold miner African Barrick Gold PLC said it expects costs to fall in the second half of the year, as gold production picks up and the company cuts costly expatriate staff.

Domino's Pizza Group expects to gain from the London Olympics, its chief financial officer said Monday, as the pizza delivery firm reported a rise in first-half pretax profit helped by wet weather and the European soccer championship.

The World's largest fast-food chain, Macdonalds 2Q earnings fell to $1.35 billion, or $1.32 a share, as a stronger U.S. dollar weakens margins, despite stronger-than-expected same- store sales and slightly higher revenue. Analysts forecast earnings of $1.37 a share. Stock down 2%.

BP proposes that its Russian joint venture TNK-BP pay shareholders a $1 billion interim dividend, TNK-BP says in a statement. Lloyds Banking plans to bring forward its so-called "ring fence", or separation of retail and investment banking, ahead of a 2019 deadline, the Sunday Telegraph reports

THE FTSE 100         closed          Down           117        @      5,533 THE DOW JONES        @ 17:00    Down            140        @     12682 THE NASDAQ           @ 17:00     Down             56        @      2869 Exchange Rates GBP – USD        @      17:00                   1.5511 GBP - EURO      @      17:00                   1.2793