Media giant Reuters and defence firm BAE Systems were the chief culprits behind a heavy fall by the FTSE 100 Index today.

The London market slipped lower today after severe losses on Wall Street triggered a heavy sell off this morning.

The biggest sell-off on Wall Street since 2003 and oil prices moving within a whisker of an all-time high cast gloom over the London market today.

The UK’s largest homebuilder and a Kazakh copper mine were promoted to the FTSE 100 Index tonight at the expense of household names Whitbread and William Hill.

Mining stocks dragged the FTSE 100 Index down today as record results from industry giant BHP Billiton failed to cheer investors.

Retail stocks drove the FTSE 100 Index through the 5100 mark today as the chance of lower interest rates appeared to increase.

The FTSE 100 Index ended the week on a sour note today as heavyweight oil and financial stocks put a drag on the market.

The FTSE 100 Index has fallen into negative territory, slipping back from early gains made on the back of strong overnight progress in Wall Street.

Companies reporting in Britain in the week beginning February 24 include:

The FTSE-100 Index closed in positive territory yesterday, but failed to break through the key 4,200 level.

A lacklustre session ended on the back foot today as the FTSE 100 Index failed to break past the 4200 mark.

The FTSE 100 Index dropped more than 100 points as disappointing US data and a fall in the oil price hit shares.

Worries about collapsed energy company Enron and Argentina's financial problems have knocked investors' confidence.