Market heavyweight Vodafone and media group Reuters were leading the downward push today as the London market fell back.

Retail stocks put the brakes on hopes of another stock market rally today after investors took fright at a less than inspiring update from Next.

London shares edged higher in midmorning trades, underpinned by another positive session on Wall Street last night, and fuelled by a resurgence of interest in technology stocks following Dell's Q2 figures overnight, dealers said.