FTSE 100

The FTSE 100 climbed 0.8% or 44 points to 5,584 this morning following yesterday's slide on the back of disappointing retail sales figures.

The FTSE 100 failed to respond to broker upgrades and healthy earnings reports in early trading, advancing only six points, or 0.1%, to 5,562.37 points.

The FTSE 100 is flat this morning, up 6.26 points (0.11%) at 5573.67, with retailer Next leading the index's gainers following today's profit announcement.

The FTSE opened 0.04% up this morning at 5,565 as retailers came out with mixed messages on consumer sentiment.

Global banking shares drove markets higher today following the outcome of the Basel III Committee meeting to reform the banking sector.

The FTSE 100 rose 0.88% or 48.58 points to 5,550.22 boosted by new financials regulation and positive economic data from China.

The FTSE 100 opened at 5,494 this morning, sliding 0.18% down in early trading despite a surge in M&A activity.

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.

ON ASSET ALLOCATION

UK blue chips saw their shares decline this morning following falls in the US and Asia overnight.