Medicine firms keep FTSE alive

The FTSE 100 index sustained the losses relatively well – partly because the markets had managed to stay afloat for most of the day – and closed up just 1.8 points at 4,571.8 as GSK ended down 21p or 1.79% to £11.51 and Smith & Nephew, seller of orthopedic devices, dropped 7.5p or 126% to 588p. Alliance Unichem eventually ended the day off 6.5p or 1.06% to 606p. Other stocks to make an impact included BAE Systems which gained 5p or 2.32% to 220.5p while publishing firm EMAP gained 25p or 2.89% to 899p. Xstrata, the mining company, also closed the day up 12p or 1.77% to 689p. In the...