FTSE flat after US, Asia gains

Following yesterday's 2.7% rally which took London's leading index well above 5,300, the FTSE opened 15 points, or 0.25%, lower at 5,352.82. The decline comes despite a strong showing in the US, where an upbeat manufacturing report helped the Dow Jones finish more than 250 points higher at 10,269. Sentiment seeped through to Asia, where the Nikkei advanced 1.52% before closing at 9,063. in London, microchip designer ARM Holdings is 3% lower at 363p as takeover talk continues, while miners Lonmin and Eurasian Natural Resources also fell. A bullish note on the gold mining sector f...