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The FTSE 100 continued to fall this morning, weighed down by disappointing industrial data from China.
Having started its decline on Wednesday, closing 14.23 points down, at 8.40am the index had dropped a further 0.21%, or 15.52 points.
National Grid's share price climbed 1.08% on the back of its half year report for the six months to September 29. It reported a 1% rise in its underlying operating profit and announced an interim dividend of 16.57p per share.
Luxury brand Burberry gained 5.6% to £21.76 as first half results revealed a hit to sales from disruption in Hong Kong but a boost from new chief creative officer Richard Tisci's new collections.
Premier Oil's share price was up 2.42%, boosted by its announcement that it has cut its net debt by $300m as at the end of October.
The company also announced a significant commercial discovery at Tolmount East, with development planning already well advanced. The project sanction is targeted for the second half of 2020.
Safestore Holdings was also up this morning, increasing 0.69% to 730p as it reported a 5.6% increase in revenue in the fourth quarter.
It said that the UK division, specifically, had a solid fourth quarter with the business growing total revenue by 5.9% and like-for-like revenue by 3.8%.
Performance was particularly strong in regional UK stores with like-for-like revenue up 5.0% whilst London and the South East grew by 2.9%.
Sweetner producer PureCircle could see its inventory reduced by $23m, as KPMG nears completion of its investigation into issues relating to the classification and valuation of inventory.
PureCircle said the adjustments will have 'consequential effects' on the potential carrying value of some of the Group's intangible assets and inventory items, some of which may be material.
The group's CEO, Magomet Malsagov, has voluntarily agreed to stand aside on a temporary basis with immediate effect, pending further investigation of the issues that have been identified. The company's chairman, John Slosar, has assumed the role of interim group CEO.