Footsie ends week on low note

London’s leading shares failed to capitalise on a fresh injection of takeover excitement today after the Government gave Wm Morrison the green light to bid for rival Safeway.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index kissed goodbye to the psychologically important 4200 mark, despite narrowing early losses to finished 45.1 points lower at 4157.1 as traders sold off shares to square their books as the end of the quarter looms.