The London market slipped below the 6,000 mark today after disappointing US jobs data sparked fears over the strength of the recovery in the world's biggest economy.

The biggest corporate hiring spree in five years has ended a week-long slide in the US stock market.

The London market continued its grim week today after worse than expected results from Lloyds Banking Group sparked losses for financial stocks.

The FTSE 100 Index today rallied past the 6,000 mark for the first time in nearly a month after a report revealed the US unemployment rate fell to a two-year low in March.

An improved outlook on the crisis in Libya and a raft of positive blue-chip updates saw the FTSE 100 Index break back through the 6000 barrier today.

The rally on London’s FTSE 100 Index came to a halt today amid falls from heavyweight oil giant Royal Dutch Shell and concerns over escalating violence in Egypt.

The FTSE 100 Index finished slightly down today as speculation over a Chinese interest rate rise dented shares in miners.

Aviva suffered another torrid session on the London market today as fears over the insurance sector failed to subside.

A period of relative calm on Wall Street ended today as stocks tumbled in the final hour of trading on growing investor anxiety about the government’s November employment report.

American stocks slipped today as investors awaited the US Labor Department’s jobs report and reacted to Yahoo Inc.’s announcement of its biggest management shake-up in more than five years.

US consumer prices rose 0.5% in March, nearly double some Wall Street expectations.

The dollar weakened further against the euro today to $1.2845, its highest level ever since its 1999 launch, following weaker than expected US job data.

Prices for consumer goods in November fell 0.2 %, the first drop since April, after remaining unchanged in October, the US Labor Department said today.

Interest rates are set to remain unchanged in the United States according to analysts, when the Federal Reserve meets later this afternoon.

Initial claims for regular state unemployment benefits fell 11,000 to a seasonally adjusted 384,000 for the week ended December 15 from the previous week, the US Labor Department said.