London Markets: FTSE 100 rises on positive U.S. data

By Clare Hutchison, MarketWatch

LONDON (MarketWatch) ? British stocks ended higher on Friday, as gains for oil stocks and Vodafone Group lifted the market and better-than-expected U.S. payrolls data buoyed investor sentiment.

The FTSE 100 /quotes/zigman/3173262 UK:UKX +0.45% ?rose 0.5% to close at 5,649.7.

The benchmark lost 0.8% in the previous session as worries over the health of the banking sector put pressure on European markets.

Dow posts first loss of 2012

Worries about European banks overshadowed better-than-expected domestic labor figures. Photo: Getty Images

The U.S. economy gained 200,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate fell to 8.5%, according to figures released on Friday. The data beat economists? estimates.

Richard Hunter, head of U.K. equities at Hargreaves Lansdown PLC, said that even though the U.S. data surpassed expectations, some investors may have been hoping for more impressive figures.

?We?ve had something of a tailing off [on the FTSE 100], because there may have been hopes for some fairly blow-out figures,? Hunter said. ?But the market is in roughly the right place, it?s positive, but it?s not off to the races on the basis that there are still a number of problems to sort out [with the European debt crisis].?

Luxury retailer Burberry Group /quotes/zigman/307688 UK:BRBY +3.91% ?rose 3.9% on Friday.

Shares of index heavyweight Vodafone Group PLC /quotes/zigman/421253 UK:VOD +1.24% ? /quotes/zigman/101873/quotes/nls/vod VOD +0.34% ?jumped 1.2%. Goldman Sachs upgraded its rating on the stock from neutral to buy. In a note, Goldman Sachs said the mobile operator could see a total return of 55% over the next two years.

Oil stocks gained ground, with Royal Dutch Shell PLC /quotes/zigman/359915 UK:RDSA +1.49% ?up 1.5%. BG Group PLC /quotes/zigman/249967 UK:BG +1.85% ?added 1.9% and Petrofac Ltd. /quotes/zigman/391992 UK:PFC +3.35% ?gained 3.4%.

Mining firm Vedanta Resources PLC /quotes/zigman/336962 UK:VED +2.08% ?rebounded as media reports said workers at its Zambian mines called an end to their strike. Shares in the firm were up 2.1%.

Pharamaceutical firms advanced on Friday. AstraZeneca PLC /quotes/zigman/244926 UK:AZN +1.10% ?increased by 1.1% and GlaxoSmithKline PLC /quotes/zigman/263563 UK:GSK +1.01% ?gained 1%.

ITV PLC /quotes/zigman/337392 UK:ITV +2.74% climbed 2.7%, after Morgan Stanley raised its rating on the stock from equalweight to overweight. Media firm WPP PLC /quotes/zigman/526756 UK:WPP +3.14% also rose, gaining 3.1%.

In contrast, British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC /quotes/zigman/143786 UK:BSY -1.32% ?fell 1.3%. Morgan Stanley on Friday cut its rating on BSkyB from overweight to equalweight.

Financial-services firms struggled on Friday, as Credit Suisse lowered ratings and cut target prices in the asset-management sector. Man Group PLC /quotes/zigman/487128 UK:EMG -8.37% ?was the index?s biggest decliner, dropping 8.4%. Credit Suisse cut its target price on the stock from ?2.15 ($3.33) to ?1.75 on Friday.

ICAP PLC /quotes/zigman/336708 UK:IAP -2.98% ?fell for a second day, with shares down 3%. Ashmore Group PLC /quotes/zigman/433475 UK:ASHM -2.90% ?lost 2.9%. Credit Suisse downgraded its rating on Ashmore from outperform to neutral on Friday.

Retailers Wm. Morrison Supermarkets PLC /quotes/zigman/155311 UK:MRW -1.49% ?and rival Tesco PLC /quotes/zigman/156634 UK:TSCO -0.76% ?pulled back, shedding 1.5% and 0.8%, respectively. Morrison will deliver its Christmas trading update on Monday.

Real-estate stocks also traded lower. Land Securities Group PLC /quotes/zigman/308575 UK:LAND -2.36% ?fell 2.4% and British Land Co. PLC /quotes/zigman/152699 UK:BLND -1.67% ?slipped 1.7%.

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Clare Hutchison is a MarketWatch reporter, based in London.

Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B0E2A0F02-3846-11E1-91DA-002128040CF6%7D&siteid=rss&rss=1

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Double Drive Screwdriver Means Righty-Tighty and Lefty-Tighty Too [Video]

Your typical ratcheting screwdriver lets you twist the handle in both directions, but only drive a screw when turning clockwise. With the Kobalt Double Drive, holding the ratcheted collar lets you drive a screw no matter how you twist the handle. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/zGaSTkxrmTk/double-drive-screwdriver-means-righty+tighty-and-lefty+tighty-too

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Top Chef: Texas SUPERSIZED Wednesday 1/4 @ 10/9c [VIDEO]

The Texas Heat Takes its Toll: Sarah Grueneberg cannot stand the constant smoke with the 100 plus degree Texas sun. http://bravo.ly/x6FVyg
It is not unusual for the judges to ask the chef'testants to go back to the basics, but this week, they are asking for quite the opposite! In this Quickfire challenge the chefs must channel their inner magician to whip up a dish using modernist cooking techniques. Some chefs have experience with ...name="qz" id='vx'> Read more at Busy Bee Blogger ?

Source: http://igossip.com/gossip/Top_Chef_Texas_SUPERSIZED_Wednesday_1_4_at_10_9c_VIDEO_TV/2043415

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Lady Gaga Gushes About Beyonce's Future Motherhood Skills

'My next baby will be my new record,' singer says of her own motherhood plans.
By Jocelyn Vena

Beyoncé
Photo: Jim Spellman/ WireImage

Lady Gaga and Beyoncé are besties, and when the Mother Monster sat down with "The Insider," she gushed about her pal's skills as a soon-to-be mommy.

"Of course she is [going to be a good mom]. That's a tremendous understatement," the singer said. "She's the nicest female I've met in the industry. She's wonderful!"

The two have quite the history together. Gaga and Beyoncé have appeared on two tracks (and in two videos) together for "Telephone" and "Video Phone." And while Beyoncé is nearing motherhood, Gaga admits she wants to wait a bit longer before giving birth to anything-- but new music, that is. "Someday. Long, long day from now!" she said. "My next baby will be my new record."

When MTV News caught up with Gaga last month, she opened up about her plans to release the follow-up to Born This Way. "I've started writing it and I have the name for it and all the concepts are beginning to flourish and take place," she told MTV News.

But much like Beyoncé and her baby, a due date for the Mother Monster's next album is still to be determined. "I'm excited to put it out, but it's not done yet. So I'll put it out when it's done."

Meanwhile, one psychic who spoke to MTV News helped us try to nail down just when we should expect Jayoncé's baby. "I feel that Beyoncé's 2012 is going to be very, very exciting," Jesse Bravo told MTV News. "I get the date of January 8 to January 14 of her giving birth to her first son."

When do you think Jayoncé's baby will come? Make your predictions in the comments!

Related Videos

• 2012 Psychic Predictions!

Related Artists

• Beyoncé
• Lady Gaga

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676799/beyonce-baby-lady-gaga.jhtml

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CFT: Meyer bans twitter for Ohio St. players

Getty Images

Apologies for getting this post up a little late. We decided it would be easier to wrap today?s early games into one recap since there was a common theme ? the Big Ten/SEC matchup ?? but as I?m sure many of you saw, Michigan State and Georgia got selfish and went into overtime (aka ?derp mode?).

Speaking of which, let?s get to the Outback Bowl first.

No. 12 Michigan State rallied from a 16-0 halftime deficit to defeat No. 18 Georgia in three overtimes by a final score of 33-30. The Big Ten can thank Mark Dantonio and crew for making sure the Big Ten didn?t go winless on New Year?s Day bowls (yes, we know it?s technically Jan. 2, but you get what we?re saying) for the second straight year.

Or, maybe they should thank Georgia coach Mark Richt, who decided to go conservative and take a kneel down to give Blair Walsh a shot at a 42-yard game-winning field goal in the first overtime.

It didn?t work out.

Walsh missed, and after three more field goals were swapped, Walsh had a 47-yard attempt blocked.

The Big Ten finally won a New Year?s Day game and can now smugly play THIS VIDEO?of Kirk Cousins?preaching the virtues of student-athlete?s responsibility with at least some sense of accomplishment.

The rest of the early games, though? Ehhh?..

No. 10 South Carolina appeared to have defeated No. 21 Nebraska just before halftime when receiver Alshon Jeffery reeled in a Hail Mary jump ball for a touchdown. The Cornhuskers didn?t score at all after the first quarter and lost 30-13. To add insult to injury, Jeffery was awarded the MVP of the game even after he was ejected for fighting with Nebraska CB?Alfonzo Dennard.

It was just that kind of game.

Florida was able to hang on to beat Ohio State in the Gator Bowl 24-17. Neither offense was able to do too much ? sound familiar? It?s pretty much been the story for both teams all year ? but the Gators did avoid their first losing seasons since 1979. Ohio State, I?m sure, is ready to put 2011 behind them and get started with the Urban Meyer era ASAP.

And speaking of moving on, No. 24 Penn State is ready for a new era after getting knocked around by No. 20 Houston in the TicketCity Bowl 30-14. With Rob Bolden being asked to lead the Nittany Lions offense by himself, Penn State struggled early and couldn?t recover.

Nor could they contain Case Keenum, who racked up 532 yards through the air in his final game with UH.

One angle of Penn State?s game today is that the Nittany Lions are still looking for a head coach to replace Joe Paterno. Interim coach Tom Bradley has interviewed for the job, although we have no reason to believe he stands a chance at getting it.

Yes, it was a rough day for the Big Ten, which is currently keeping pace with its?39.4 winning percentage in bowl games since 2000. Wisconsin will have a chance to turn around the Big Ten?s fortunes at least a little bit tonight if they can get a Rose Bowl win over Oregon, but it?ll be the beginning of 2013 before the conference gets another chance to perform better.

Source: http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/03/first-order-for-urban-meyer-at-ohio-state-twitter-ban-for-everybody/related/

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-South Africa Assumes Presidency of U.N. Security Council

?news in photo Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques receives princes, Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, scholars, ministers, a group of citizens (SPA) 8/2/1433H

United Nations, Safar 10, 1433, Jan 4, 2012, SPA -- South Africa has assumed the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council for January while the council also welcomes five new non-permanent members for 2012-13 and bids farewell to five other countries that have completed their two-year terms. The five new members are Pakistan, Morocco, Azerbaijan, Guatemala, and Togo, which replace Brazil, Lebanon, Bosnia, Nigeria, and Gabon, who served in 2010 and 2011. South African U.N. Ambassador Baso Sangqu told reporters that a special focus of his country's presidency of the council will be a high-level debate on U.N.-Africa Union cooperation. He said the United Nations needs to strengthen its relationship with regional organizations. --SPA 21:54 LOCAL TIME 18:54 GMT

? Latest news Saudi Press Agency (SPA) Ends Transmission... more details Frankfurt, Safar 10, 1433, Jan 4, 2012, SPA -- The following index quotations were noted on the world's major stock markets on Wednesday at 1655 GMT, according to dpa: January 4 January 3 Difference New York Dow Jones 12,378.73 12,397.38... more details Amman, Safar 10, 1433, Jan 4, 2012, SPA -- The unemployment rate in Jordan jumped to 12.9 percent in 2011 compared to 12.5 percent in 2010, according to the Jordanian Department of Statistics. The rate returned to the 2009 level when it also registered 12.9 percent following the global financial... more details Washington, Safar 10, 1433, Jan 4, 2012, SPA -- Nearly 1,000 relatives of inmates are refusing to leave a Venezuelan prison in a protest to demand faster trial for prisoners. Prisons Minister Iris Varela said in Caracas that the relatives decided to "kidnap themselves" at the Yare prison about... more details Frankfurt, Safar 10, 1433, Jan 4, 2012, SPA -- Frankfurt Stock Exchange closing prices in euros on Wednesday at 1655 GMT. In brackets the index/price movement against previous quotation, dpa reported: DAX 6,111.55 (- 55.02) ... more details

?General Service

?Weather Report MAKKAH 31 19 MADINAH 25 12 RIYADH 19 7 DAMMAM 21 10 JEDDAH 28 18 ABHA 24 9 HAIL 17 3 BURAIDAH 19 6 Details

?Riyal Rates U.S. Dollar 3.75 Euro 4.894 U.K. Pound 5.866 Emirati Dirham 1.021 Kuwaiti Dinar 13.476 Bahraini Dinar 9.946 Jordanian Dinar 5.285 more details

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5700042453&f=378

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