FTSE slides on chemicals and Carnival

Carnival Corp. and Imperial Chemical Industries paced the decline as the price of oil rose after producers in the Gulf of Mexico evacuated staff and shut platforms in the path of Hurricane Rita. Carnival, the world's largest cruise operator, slid 84p, or 2.8%, to 2,881p. Imperial Chemical, the UK’s largest specialty chemical maker, dropped 8.25p, or 2.7%, to 293.5p. Crude oil for November delivery gained as much as 3.1% to $68.27 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The futures have surged 56 percent this year. InterContinental Hotels Group, the world's largest hotelier f...