FTSE drops after downbeat US start

London's FTSE 100 Index has had a second successive downward session which saw it finish 33.4 points lower at 4217.4.

Lacklustre figures from Hewlett-Packard did little for the overall mood, while a number of London stocks put pressure on the market by going ex-dividend. This means a company's share price no longer includes the value of its dividend.