FTSE struggles as Shell parent reports lower profit

Although the FTSE is relatively flat down just 4.8 points or 0.1% to 4393.7 while the FTSE All-Share index is down 1.2 points to 2188. Shell Transport & Trading – which is 40% owned by Royal Dutch/Shell Group – lost 3.75 or 1% to 361.75p after its parent reported fourth-quarter profit fell 33% in 2003, and this after Shell was previously forced to admit it had “overestimated” its reserves. In Asia today, the Nikkei 225 managed to close up 0.2% to 10,464 while the Topix gained 0.3%. Toyota reported third-quarter profit climbed higher than expected, thanks to US sales, and the share...