Dow Jones

The FTSE 100 has fallen 0.3% or 16 points to 5,413.5 in early trading after America's Federal Reserve said overnight there were "widespread signs of deceleration" in the US economy.

Wall Street has opened sharply lower this morning on the return of European sovereign debt fears.

The FTSE 100 opened higher, up 0.47% or 25.67 points to 5,453.82, in response to Friday's better than expected US jobs data.

US stocks have opened sharply ahead this morning as private employers added more jobs than forecast in August, boosting optimism the world's largest economy can avoid slipping back into recession.

World markets surged on Wednesday following an unexpected jump in the US manufacturing index and bullish economic figures from Asia.

Speculation of M&A in various sectors, as well as rising precious and base metals miners, drove the FTSE upwards by 1.5% to 5,303.72 points by 2.15pm.

The FTSE 100 opened higher, up 0.25% or 12.95 points to 5,238.17, supported by encouraging economic data coming out of China this morning.

US stocks slumped to their worst August in nine years, as investors retreated on fears for the US economy.

Markets on both sides of the Atlantic have continued on their downward trajectory amid fears about the economic recovery.

The FTSE continued to fall in early trade, down 0.34% to 5138.51, following yesterday's massive sell-off in global shares on escalating fears about the economic recovery.