With the Easter holidays looming, some of the London market’s smaller companies will take their turn in the spotlight this week.

Reports of a mixed Christmas for retailers were borne out today by figures from some of the biggest names on the UK high street.

Roger Jennings, chief executive of Austin Reed Group PLC is to step down and leave the company immediately as it reported a sharp 11.3% fall in like for like sales over the 22 weeks through to January 10.

The FTSE 100 Index finished clear of the 4300 barrier today as strong US economic figures drove stock markets around the world higher.

Hopes earlier in the week that share prices were now on an upward curve suffered a blow today as the FTSE 100 Index closed sharply down.

The FTSE 100 Index closed back in the red today, wiping out two days of moderate gains as uncertainty over the war in Iraq hit stocks.

Uncertainty over the war in Iraq remained at the forefront of traders’ thoughts as the FTSE 100 Index slipped back into the red today.

Traders have got what they wanted from the Bank of England, although the quarter point interest rate cut did little to move the market.

Investors have piled into technology shares on the London Stock Exchange on the back of a good session last night on the US Nasdaq index.