Blue-chip shares slump dashes hopes of recovery

HOPES of a sustained recovery on the London market dwindled yesterday as blue-chip shares dipped further into negative territory.

Morning trading had seen the FTSE 100 Index move ahead after two consecutive days of falls.

But shares fell later, despite a modestly upbeat open on Wall Street, and the FTSE 100 ended 1.7 points adrift at 4026.9.