After struggling most of the day, the FTSE 100 has ended trading with a small drop of 1 point, or 0.02%, to 5,497.9, despite a determined rally from retailers including Next.
News from the department store group, John Lewis, that the cold weather was luring shoppers back into stores, with a surge in demand for winter clothing and Christmas gifts, helped drive other retailers higher with Kingfisher, Next and DSG International all leading the charge. Next was at the top of the leaderboard with gains of 36p, or 2.65%, to 1,392p, closely followed by DSG International, which jumped 2.75p, or 1.87%, to 150p, while Kingfisher came in a little way behind with an advance of 1.49% to 221.25p. Meanwhile, shares in Glaxo headed the losers with a drop of 58p, or 3.87%,...
To continue reading this article...
Join Professional Adviser for free
Signup and gain exclusive members-only insights
- Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
- Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
- Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
- Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
- Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
- Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes
