UK travel and tour operator First Choice was today preparing for life with its new business, internet-based hotel booking site Laterooms.com.

Investors endured a miserable start to the week after the FTSE 100 Index tumbled 1% on the back of worries over the weak US dollar today.

European markets resumed their decline today as investors again fretted about the weakness of the US dollar.

First Choice Holidays today said it was in discussions with a number of suitors over the sale of its package holidays business.