Host of heavyweight blue-chip stocks slip lower

NERVES ahead of this week’s September 11 anniversary pushed investors to the sidelines yesterday as the London market drifted back towards 4000.

Continued speculation over a possible US attack on Iraq added to the cautious mood and a host of heavyweight blue-chip stocks slipped lower.

A poor start on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 80 points in early trading, did little to boost spirits in the City.