FTSE falls down mine shaft

Stocks including mining companies Rio Tinto Group and BHP Billiton dropped. BOC Group rose after reports that Germany's BASF AG may be interested in buying the British company. Rio Tinto fell 13p, or 0.7% to 1989p. Meanwhile BHP lost 4p, or 0.5%, to 839p. BOC Group, Europe's second-largest maker of industrial gases, added 43p to 1127p after earlier climbing as much as 8.8%. BASF may offer 1300p a share in cash for BOC reports claimed today there has also been speculation that Linde AG may be a possible bidder for BOC. Diageo, the world's largest distiller, rose 14p to 819p after ...