FTSE sinks towards 4000, while Inter-Alliance plunges 72%

Having started the day so well, the news is not as positive by close of business because manufacturing news in the US did not turn out to be as positive as initially hoped. The regular monthly update stats from the National Association of Purchasing Management revealed its "factory index" did rise a fraction to 52.5 in May, but it is still less than the target economists had expected. IFA firm Inter-Alliance struggled to keep its grip on the share price too, plunging 72% from 23.35p to 9.25p, after reporting that its first half business figures didn't meet the company's forecasts....