Markets

European markets were flat in mid-morning trading today as investors paused for breath amid fresh rumours Spain is about to request an official bailout.

Invesco Perpetual's Neil Woodford said he is sticking by his significant weighting to tobacco stocks despite concerns over earnings momentum and new packaging rules putting pressure on share prices.

Liontrust Asset Management has reported its ninth consecutive quarter of fund inflows even as it posted an interim loss relating to its acquisition of Walker Crips AM.

Ashcourt Rowan chief executive Jonathan Polin has bought a further 31,645 shares in the company following the group's interim results yesterday.

As Greece finds itself making headlines once more, eurosceptic John Redwood has warned a euro break-up is still on the cards.

Schroders is to change the name of its £74m Medical Discovery fund as it brings the fund in line with competitors.

Poor interim results from Vodafone have pushed the FTSE 100 down 0.9% to a two-month low in morning trading.

The UK's main inflation rate has jumped sharply to 2.7% in October, having fallen to a 34-month low of 2.2% in September.

A conflict erupted between the IMF and European Union last night as it was announced Greece would receive a two year extension to meet its debt reduction target.

DELAYED FLIGHT