Late FTSE sell squanders solid session

Northern Rock led the session despite Bradford & Bingley denying it will bid for the troubled lender. Rock finished 4.37% up, to 90.70. Advanced materials technology leader Johnson Matthey also did well, jumping 3.26% to 1743; while Rentokil Initial was up 2.8% to 117.50. Kingfisher topped the fall list as concerns mounted on its Christmas business trading, closing 2.98% lower, to 143.10. A Morgan Stanley downgrade from 'overweight' to 'equal-weight' resulted in Intercontinental Hotels falling 2.23% to 877. In New York, the Dow Jones has slid significantly after a solid opening, current...