Whitbread gets FTSE off to a weak start

BP, the world's second biggest oil firm, has fallen 1.46% to 607.5p, despite reporting a sharp rise in underlying third quarter profits because of high oil prices and strong refining margins, although the impact of the US hurricanes weighed on the results. Shares in Whitbread are one of the biggest fallers, shedding 3.27% to 932p after it posted an 11% rise in first-half pre-tax profit but said the consumer environment would likely remain challenging. Telecoms equipment maker and mid-cap Marconi has risen 4.91% to 368.25p after it said it had agreed to sell most of its assets and its ic...