FTSE creeps back towards the 4,000 mark

UK stocks ended the day on a gloomy note, paced by Hanson, the world's largest producer of crushed rock for the construction industry, after annoucning there is likely to be a problem with its pension funding as well as asbestos claims. The benchmark FTSE 100 closed closer to 4000 after losing another 26.20 points today to 4,041.70. Hanson lost 33.25p to 335.25p after the world's largest producer of crushed rock for the construction industry said its first-half earnings will suffer by a $64m charge against 21,000 new asbestos claims in the US. On a better note, ASK Centr...