Updated: The FTSE 100 got off to a weak start on Friday but stablised by mid-morning following efforts in several European countries to calm volatility in share trading.
London's leading index dropped 60 points in the first minutes of trading but, as of 11am, sat 90 points higher at 5,252. France, Italy, Spain and Belgium today introduced a ban on 'short-selling' financial stocks in a bid to restore investor confidence. It followed days of volatile trading sparked by fears over European debt and, in France in particular, the stability of the banking sector. The last time major Western countries made a similar move was in 2008 after the collapse of Lehman Brothers. European markets are also higher. The French Cac 40 added 2.25% to 3,159 despite t...
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