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London has staged a mini-rally despite a choppy start in the US, with miners once again in the middle of the action.

Metal prices are on the rise, lifting the likes of silver miner Fresnillo, platinum specialist Lonmin and Kazakhstan-based Eurasian Natural Resources.

Randgold Resources remains the best performer though after hiking its dividend by 30% as profits soared in the fourth quarter. The West Africa-focused gold miner upped profit in the three months to December to £38.7m from £9.3m.

Xstrata is also higher despite an 81% plunge in profit before tax to $661m in 2009 after exceptional items almost doubled to $2.1bn. The number before one-offs fell 41% to $2.77bn on revenue down 16% to $23.5bn.

It will pay a final dividend of 8c a share, which it said reflected confidence in the firm's near and medium term prospects and financial position.

Meanwhile, Anglo American will subscribe in full to its entitlement to the rights offer announced today by its subsidiary company, Anglo Platinum, costing it $1.3bn.

Interdealer broker ICAP has rallied after its pounding on a profit warning on Friday. Rival Tullet Prebon is up as well.

International Power is in demand again on rumours French utility GDF Suez is putting together a new bid. Last month, the UK energy firm admitted merger talks were held, but came to nothing.

Oils remain mixed after the price of crude slipped below $71 earlier. Shell is better, but Cairn and BG are struggling

Elsewhere, Spanish banking giant Santander is reportedly mulling a flotation of its British operations on the London Stock Exchange. If the plans are to go ahead, the demerged business would go straight into the FTSE 100 with a value of more than £15bn, according to a report in the Sunday Times. The money could be used to buy parts of Royal Bank of Scotland, reports today suggested.

Property developer St Modwen Properties posted a decline in full year revenue and widening losses as property values continued to suffer. However the group said it was confident that 2010 will see the company returning to growth in profits and NAV.

Shares in aim listed CCTV company Petards flew off the shelf after it said profit before tax for the full year is set to come in higher than market expectations. Cash generation in the second half was also stronger than expected due to lower working capital.

BATM Advanced Communications, which supplies broadband data and telecommunications systems and medical laboratory equipment, posted a fall in profits in the year to 31 December as subdued economic conditions kept revenues flat.