Shares remain in doldrums for most of the session

RETAIL stocks pulled the London market lower yesterday after a disappointing update from fashion chain Next hurt the sector.

By the close of trading, the FTSE 100 Index was down 24.9 points at 3880.3 in a lacklustre day’s dealing.

Shares remained in the doldrums for most of the session, although a jump on Wall Street on its opening in the afternoon saw British stocks leap 56 points into positive territory.