Bank of England holds interest rates at 5.25% for sixth time in a row - what it means for YOUR mortgages and savings
No saving this popular family car: Ford confirms it will cull another of its best-selling petrol models next year to focus on EVs despite demand slump
Scottish Power says our energy meters are now too old - is this a ruse to force us to get a smart meter?
Our mortgage valuation says the house we're buying is worth £40,000 less: What should we do and can we appeal?
CRANE ON THE CASE: Air Mauritius lost my luggage and ruined my holiday but its compensation offer is terrible - what can I do?
Are you a Wetherspoon lover or hater? LEE BOYCE and SIMON LAMBERT have very different opinions on the pub giant that's flying high...
I want to invest £600 a year for my new baby, what is the best way to do it - and how much could it grow to?
Artificial grass can lead to increased flooding risk, major insurer warns - so should you ever get a plastic lawn?
BUSINESS CLOSE: FTSE 100 hits new record at 8,381; BoE holds base rate at 5.25%; ITV eyes advertising market recovery
We need more than a British Isa to move the dial on UK smaller companies, says fund manager ABBY GLENNIE
Blackstone set to acquire Hipgnosis Songs Fund after rival suitor Concord Music refuses to up £1.2bn offer
Avon Protection handed £38m gas mask contract by MoD after reported deployment of chemical agents in Ukraine
Watches of Switzerland buys Italy's Roberto Coin for £104m in bid to expand in the lucrative luxury jewellery market
BAE Systems tools-up for growth as US ups support for Ukraine and Britain plots defence spending boost
Get 5.6% interest with this quirky 365-day notice savings account that beats the top one-year fixed rates
Spring property bounce is a damp squib: Estate agents says rising mortgage rates keep buyers at bay
Zoning out: Why London renters are swapping Clapham and Camden for Abbey Wood and Forest Gate
JLR offers £150 a month towards the cost of insuring new Range Rover models to encourage sales after theft concerns
Ford boss says it may restrict petrol models in the UK to hit EV sales targets and avoid crippling fines
Used car sales hit a five-year high as fresh supply of second-hand motors enter the market and prices drop
Scottish Widows gave me access to a stranger's £40,000 pension - so could they get at my six-figure pot?
FCA's name and shame plan has the City running scared - that's why they SHOULDN'T ditch it: ALEX BRUMMER
How much would a rate cut save you? Use our interest rate rise or fall mortgage calculator
How do we stop our troubled child gambling away their inheritance? We can't just exclude one of our five children

FTSE preview: Shares shy away from 6,000

By Reuters
Updated: 03:23 EDT, 24 December 2010

View
comments

The FTSE 100 is expected to fall back in early trading today after briefly breaking the 6,000 level before the close on Thursday.

Dealers monitor their screens on the trading floor of IG Index in London

Slow day: No news is expected to break today.

Volumes are expected to be very low with London markets only open until 12.30 and many European markets closed for the day. Wall Street will be closed on Friday as well.

The UK blue chip index ended 12.58 points or 0.2% higher on Thursday at 5,996.87, dipping back in the closing auction having hit a high of 6,000.55 just before the close, breaching that psychologically key level for the first time since June 2008.

Financial stocks could come under pressure with ongoing European sovereign debt worries compounded by further rating downgrades.

Fitch Ratings on Thursday downgraded Portugal, citing burgeoning debt levels and a tough financing environment, in a move which analysts said had been largely expected by markets.

The downgrade puts Fitch's rating for Portugal on a par with Moody's A1 rating, but still two notches above that of Standard and Poor's A-minus.

Investors will have almost nothing else to provide direction on Christmas Eve, with not a single corporate news release scheduled and no economic pointers due for release.

Britain's state-run health service will get a partial rebate from GlaxoSmithKline if the company's new kidney cancer drug Votrient does not match up to a rival medicine in a head-to-head clinical trial.

Tarmac, a unit of mining group Anglo American said its prefabricated business would close with the loss of up to 550 jobs because of tough market conditions, The Times said.

JJB Sports said on Thursday it is planning a £31.1m fundraising after having warned it was likely to breach the terms of a key banking agreement.

Sofa retailer DFS is on the expansion path under its new private equity owner Advent International as it reported improved sales, The Times said.

Tanfield said late on Thursday that it had completed the sale of its Smith Electric Vehicles' assets to its US associate, with Tanfield retaining a 49% stake in the enlarged entity, and it said a future US public offering of the consolidated equity was possible.

Reader service: Free brochure guides

Completely free insider guides on the latest investing trends...

Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.