The London market plunged below the 6600 barrier today as investor nerves were shaken by economic fears in the US and China.

The London market retreated back below the 6600 barrier today on the back of concerns China’s over-heating economy is heading for a fall.

Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance PLC's majority owned Codan Forsikring AS has put its life and pension operations up for sale, or at least a large part of the business area, Danish daily paper Boersen reported, citing sources in the Nordic life insurance sector.