Profit-taking brings FTSE down

It is only thanks to HSBC’s propping up of prices earlier in the day the FTSE 100 index did not fall any further, as the FTSE 100 index closed down 18 points or 0.3% to 4321, while the FTSE All-Share index fell 0.3% to 2157 and the FTSE 250 index lost 10 points or 0.1% to 6063.5. Unilever slid 5.5p or 1.07% to 507.5p after Kraft – its US rival said Q2 net income fell 26% because of higher costs for ingredients. Aviva closed the day down 8.5p or 1.58% to 529.5p, while mobile network operator dropped 2p or 2.23% to 87.75p and mining firm Xstrata eventually had the biggest fall of the da...