FTSE knocked on prospect of lower Unilever sales

The FTSE 100 Index closed down 11 points or 0.25% to 4579 after Unilever, the world's largest maker of food and soap, shed 22.5p or 4.67% to 459.5p after reporting sales have fallen thanks to competitive sales with rival firm Proctor & Gamble. ICI bought Unilever's specialty chemicals division in 1997 so its share price also closed down 5p or 2.31% to 211.5p. Cadbury Schweppes also closed down 4.5p or 1.03% to 432.5p – pulling back from losses which earlier in the day were double that – after last week reporting sales were down in the US. Reckitt Benckiser, another of the household...