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FTSE preview: Shares weak on Irish question

By Reuters
Updated: 02:42 EDT, 15 November 2010

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The Footsie is expected to fall on the open this morning, as worries persist over eurozone nations' public debt levels.

People walk past London's Stock Exchange

BHP Billiton will be in focus after the global miner scrapped its $39bn bid for Canada's Potash Corp - what would have been the biggest global deal of the year - and bowed to calls from investors to return cash with a $4.2bn share buyback.

The FTSE 100 index looks set to fall 11 to 13 points according to financial bookmakers, after it closed 18.3 points lower at 5,796.8 on Friday.

No significant domestic economic data is due today.

It could be a volatile wek on the markets, as the spotlight remains on the Ireland's ongoing debt crisis. Ireland did not rule out the possibility that it may have to turn to Europe for help but said that no application had been made for assistance yet.

Investors are looking ahead to inflation data tomorrow, minutes from the Bank of England monetary policy committee on Wednesday as well as unemployment data, with public sector finance figures, retail sales data and the CBI industrial trends survey out on Thursday.

Stocks to watch today include:

Lonmin: The platinum producer reports full-year results.

Amlin: The insurer issues a trading update.

Beazley: The Lloyd's of London insurer issues a trading update.

Persimmon: The housebuilder issues a trading update.

Robert Wiseman Dairies: The Scottish dairy group reports first-half results.

Segro: The industrial property landlord issues a trading update.

Cranswick: The pork supplier reports first-half results.

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