FTSE tumbles on beer while Nikkei is forced to close early

SABMiller has slipped 2.69% to 1,084p. The brewer sold 1.8% more beer in its fiscal third quarter and the amount of beer sold in South Africa was "marginally" higher in the three months ended 31 December. Imperial Tobacco Group has lost 3% to 1,640p as its shares are trading without the right to the second-half dividend of 39.5p. Shares of AstraZeneca have also dropped 2.86% to 2,720p on a report it lost a summary judgement over heart drug Toprol XL. And British Airways has declined 1.62% to 319p as oil prices touched four-month highs near $67 a barrel on concerns over supply const...