FTSE slumps in early trading

Whitbread was the early struggler, dropping 54 points, or 3.29%, to £18.82, and was closely followed by Rio Tinto, down 108 points to £38.85 and Royal Dutch Shell, down 35 points, or 1.66%, to £20.72. Resistance was provided by Lonmin, up 100 points, or 2.38%, to £43, Vedanta Resources, up 38 points to £17.29, and Antofagasta, up 12 points, or 1.78%, to 584p. Different story in the US though, the Dow Jones jumping more than half a per cent, or 76.17 points, to 13577.87. It was helped along by Alcoa, up 0.77 points, or 1.85%, to 42.43, Honeywell International, up 0.92 points, or 1.59%,...