Published on 23rd January 2014
1630:Close The FTSE declined by more than 50 points in today's session, hit by poor US and Chinese data and an unimpressive trading update from Pearson. US manufacturing growth suffered its first slowdown in three months in January, while back in the UK BoE Govenor Mark Carney said he sees no need for an immediate increase in the Bank Rate and MPC member McCafferty said the committee is watching currency markets. Also on the macro front, the CBI's Distributive Trades Sales Index dropped sharply to a reading of 14 for January from a level of 34 in the month before, while UK car production levels increased 3.1 per cent last year to their highest level in five years. The FTSE 100 closed down 53.05 points at 6,773.28.