Afternoon Markets: FTSE set for first loss in two weeks

US blue-chip stocks have opened flat today as investor sentiment cooled following the two-week rally.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 4.3 points, or 0.05%, to 9,104.2 in early trade, with credit card firm American Express the biggest loser, down 2.4% at $27.7. Oil giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron were also out of favour, each down about 1%, after their UK rival BP reported a 50% drop in half-year earnings from the year before due to the lower price of oil. Bucking the trend, plane maker Boeing added 1.2% to $42.8 and Bank of America also gained, up 0.6%, after it announced that it would close fewer branches in the US than feared. In the UK, the FTSE 100 gave up morning gain...