Shares in Cable & Wireless slumped today after the telecoms giant reported a sharp slowdown in sales at its retail business in the UK.

The FTSE 100 Index was in the red for the fifth consecutive session today after a warning from retail giant Wal-Mart that high oil prices were starting to hit consumer demand.

Telecoms giant Cable & Wireless led the FTSE 100 Index to a negative close today as investors failed to warm to its takeover of Energis.

Telecoms stocks weighed on the London market today as new developments in two takeover tales failed to inspire investors.

Telecoms giant Cable & Wireless led the FTSE 100 Index lower today as investors gave a lukewarm reception to its acquisition of Energis.

The FTSE 100 Index made a lacklustre start to the week today despite takeover talk boosting the telecoms sector.

Telecoms stocks were the talk of the market today as the FTSE 100 Index made a positive start to the week.

Business telecoms group Thus squared up to rival Cable & Wireless today with a proposed bid worth £800m (€1.2bn) for counterpart Energis.

The London market shrugged off uncertainty over yesterday’s attacks in the capital to end the week in positive territory.

IRISH companies could be losing up to €75 million every year through phone fraud, according to telecom company Energis.

The FTSE 100 Index ended today firmly in the red after a poor opening on Wall Street dragged banking stocks down.

Cable & Wireless ensured the Footsie made positive strides today as investors warmed to reports of merger talks with rival telecoms firm Energis.

RETAIL giant Tesco has signed a deal with phone company Energis to develop a new plan to allow Tesco’s Irish customers to contact their local stores using cheaper 1890 phone numbers.

ComReg has reduced the rate which eircom can charge other telecom companies per month to access the last mile of its telecoms network.

Energis, formerly known as Nevadatele.com, has cut back its service to business customers in the Republic.

UK mobile phone firm mmO2 today announced the sale of its Dutch subsidiary O2 Netherlands to private equity firm Greenfield Capital Partners for €25m.

Northern Irish electricity group Viridain has sold its 50% stake in telecom business Nevada tele.com to its partner in the joint venture Energis, which now owns 100% of the business.

Telecom company, Nevadatele.com has announced that 60, jobs, a third of its total workforce are to go from its Dublin and Belfast operations.

Shares in oil giant Shell slipped today as a former employee queried deals the group allegedly made on future power prices.

Technology companies in the UK face further problems today, after another wave of stocks are relegated in the FTSE’s quarterly reshuffle.

Energis shares fell in the past few days when the company said that bankers might cancel a loan of more than $1bn (€1.14bn).

Speculation is mounting private equity firm Apax Partners is on the verge of making a bid for struggling telecoms group Energis.

The Footsie has closed down 22.5 points at 5050.8 as telecom stocks took a battering.

The FTSE 100 Index of leading stocks is up 53.4 points at 5077.5 at mid-morning, nearly reversing yesterday's 68-point slump.

The FTSE 100 index has fallen 60 points to 5071.4 by lunchtime.

National Grid, the high voltage power line operator, admitted today it may pull out of its troubled telecoms ventures in South America.

Billions of pounds have been wiped off share values as the FTSE 100 Index continues to nosedive.

Few shares in the FTSE 100 Index have made any headway as the index tumbles towards its lowest close for nearly three years.

The London market is in positive territory as tech and telecom stocks enjoy a rare bout of buoyant trading.

The Footsie index of 100 leading stock has fallen 33.9 points to stand at 5400.8 at mid-morning as poor sentiment from the US hits trading on the London market.

Blue-chip stocks are edging higher in London as a strong finish in the US and upbeat figures from engine-maker Rolls-Royce lift spirits.

The London market was on the back foot today as telecom stocks came under yet more pressure.

The Footsie index of 100 leading stocks is off 38.8 points at 5422.8 at mid-morning as tech and telecoms shares suffer more heavy losses.

The London market has got off to a gloomy start, with tech and telecoms stocks leading the fall.

Blue-chip stocks have continued their unpredictable streak as weakness in the tech and telecom sector sent the London market lower.

The Footsie index of 100 leading stocks has surged back through the 5,500 barrier as tech and telecoms shares rise following overnight gains on the US Nasdaq.

London shares have ended the week on a high note despite bad news from overseas.

The Footsie index of 100 leading stocks is off 73.8 points by lunchtime to stand at 5402.7, having fallen by more than 90 points in the first hour of trading.

The start of Wimbledon fortnight saw the London market serve up a decidedly lacklustre session.

The FTSE-100 Index has emerged unscathed despite another battering for beleaguered tech and telecom stocks.

Poor news from overseas technology companies has hit the FTSE-100 Index, which has lost 47.8 points.

Falls in the technology and telecoms sectors have taken their toll on the FTSE-100 index, now down 54.5 points.

Technology and telecoms stocks are the main casualties on the London Stock Exchange as the FTSE-100 lost 68.3 points.

The Footsie index of 100 blue-chip stocks has recovered from an earlier 30-point fall to stand 0.4 points ahead of its opening price at 5796.5 by lunchtime.