FTSE flat after Dow sinks below 10,000

The FTSE 100 opened flat Tuesday after a slump in financial stocks sent the Dow Jones to its first close below 10,000 in three months.

After Asian markets also finished lower, London's leading index dipped 6.5 points, or 0.13%, to 5,085. ICAP rose 1.35% to 307.8p following yesterday's upgrade from Credit Suisse, while miners were also among the day's early climbers. Xstrata advanced 2.05% to £10.04, Kazakhmys increased 1.29% to £12.56 and Rio Tinto was up 1.24% to £31.03. However, Randgold Resources lost some of yesterday's gains, falling 2.1% to £43.86, while BSkyB slid 0.29% to 523p after selling its stake in ITV. In New York, the Dow closed 103.84 points, or 1%, down to 9908.39. It had slipped below 10,00...