The UK’s second-biggest pubs chain today snapped up more than 1,000 community pubs in a deal worth £335m (€598.8m).

The FTSE 100 Index failed to maintain its position above a key threshold today as confidence ebbed away following a poor start on Wall Street.

Wolverhampton & Dudley is celebrating its successful defence of a £485m hostile bid from pubs group Pubmaster.

Strong performances by oil giants BP and Shell are helping the Footsie index of 100 leading stocks to keep its head above water in a quiet session.

London shares are backtracking from the all-important 6,000 barrier again as technology and telecoms stocks move into the red.