FTSE falls on drug problem

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The FTSE 100 is down 16.9 points, or 0.25%, to 6,619.9 in early trading, as suggestions a diabetes drug produced by GlaxoSmithKline increases the risk of heart attacks.

Broker downgrades following the reports mean GSK is the biggest loser so far with a fall of 3.24% to £13.45, closely followed by Marks & Spencer which has slipped 2.84% to 717.5p on a bout of profit-taking, after it revealed profit rose 28.5% but failed to reach £1bn mark. Experian is also down 1.33% to 595.5p, closely followed by Detica Group which has slipped 1.26% to 372p, while British Airways has dropped 1.25% to 474p, although Wolseley is limiting losses with a rise of 1.45% to £13.25. Alliance & Leicester is posting the biggest gains with a rise of 4.1% to £11.94, closely followed...

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