London's leading index lost ground in morning trading as investors braced for a round of woeful reports from the third quarter earnings season.
Evidence of investors moving back into European equities has increased as two industry reports reveal it has overtaken emerging markets in a preferred list of asset classes.
Tom Dobell, manager of the £7.7bn M&G Recovery fund, expects an uptick in M&A activity to rejuvenate performance in 2013 after a "tough" three years for the fund.
US President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney locked horns over the economy last night in their first televised presidential debate.
Neptune Investment Management has shut its £1m UK Alpha fund due to insufficient assets.