S&P 500

The benchmark FTSE 100 is currently down almost 8 points at 4,366 after UK stocks fell paced by retailers such as Boots and Sainsbury.

The retirement of 3i's chief executive at 50 and the raising of its three billion euro takeover fund seems to be driving trading on the London Stock Exchange this morning.

The FTSE has managed to pull back a fraction this morning from yesterday's tumble, as ratings upgrades for MMO2, Lloyds TSB and Royal & SunAlliance lift their share performance.

It seems European stock markets have yet to pull back from last week's dismal trading- sparked by the Madrid bomb attack - as the FTSE 100 is again on a downward turn in London this morning.

Another high street bank, Lloyds TSB, has substantially increased its profits again in the last year but boosted trading on the FTSE 100 by only a fraction this morning.

The benchmark FTSE 100 ended the day up 6.7 points at 4,553.8 after UK stocks rose for the second day in three, paced by retailer GUS.

The FTSE 100 is currently up about 8 points to 4,545 after UK stocks commenced Tuesday morning on an upward trend, paced by Imperial Chemical Industries.

Talk of a takeover at BG Group, formerly British Gas, is driving the FTSE 100 up this morning and has helped to push the index back over the 4500 mark.

The benchmark FTSE 100 ended up 44.80 points at 4,537.00 after UK stocks rose for the third day in four, led by a gas company.

The benchmark FTSE 100 ended this week down 23.70 points at 4,492.20 after UK stocks fell, paced by Lloyds TSB and WPP Group.