Previous  of  Companies Next FTSE 100 Aviva HSBC Hldgs Admiral Group Legal & General Group The FTSE 100 stayed relatively flat as traders kept their powder dry before Mr Bernanke faces questioning before Congress this afternoon on the shape of US economic recovery. Financials were propping up the large caps during early morning trading, with HSBC top of the pile. The bank ticked up around 2pc after reports that it has caved in to shareholders and axed plans to award its chief executive a pay rise of more than a third. HSBC was proposing to increase Michael Geoghegan’s pay by about one-third from £1.1m, but shareholders rejected the proposals amid concerns of a rising backlash over bankers’ pay. Lloyds gained just over 1pc after wealth manager, St James’ Place, which is 60pc owned by Lloyds reported profits at the top-end of forecasts and said that confidence was recovering. Joining banks on the leaderboard were insurers with Admiral Group , Legal & General and Aviva all on the rise.[Read more...]