Previous  of  Companies Next FTSE 250 FTSE 100 Commodity stocks fell bank in morning trading on Thursday, as raw materials prices retreated on fears that China could move to rein in its booming economy after inflation rose more than expected in the year to February. Silver miner Fresnillo was off more than 2pc, while Kazakhmys, Rio Tinto and Randgold Resources all featured on the loser board. The FTSE was down around 23 points - or 0.4pc - at 5617 at lunchtime. Offsetting the falling miners were retailers, buoyed by heartening results in the sector. Next, Kingfisher and Home Retail Group all rose up the winners league table. Although the latter - owner of Argos and Homebase - saw a dip in sales, it revised up its profit guidance for the second time in three months. Supermarket chain Morrisons, which posted a surge in its dividend, dipped around 1.8pc after the company tempered its spike in profits with a cautious outlook on the year ahead. Among the second tier, takeover tittle-tattle continued apace - this time, it was Connaught in the frame.[Read more...]