Financials weigh on FTSE

Standard Chartered has dropped 1.05% to 1,316p, Northern Rock has fallen 0.72% to 1,109p and HSBC has declined 0.84% to 945.50p. LogicaCMG has lost 6.4% to 161.5p after it agreed to buy Swedish rival WM-data for $1.67bn to expand in the Nordic region. ISoft has plunged 3.7% to 46.25p on reports it has "no believable plan'' for the release of its so-called Lorenzo health-care system upgrade. PartyGaming is leading the risers, up 2.93% at 114.25p, as newspaper rumours suggest it is the main contender for Victor Chandler's Gibraltar-based betting empire. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 Stock Ave...