Markets: FTSE 100 flat

• FTSE 100 up three points to 6,265
• Gold down 0.38% to $1,219.80/oz
• £/$ 1.4670

Commodities giant Glencore was the day's highest climber, up 2.1%; Sainsbury's added 2% and 3i Group was 1.95 higher. At the other end of the table, cruise operator Carnival fell 3.2% and RBS lost 3%.

In Europe, the Paris CAC 40 rose 0.7% to 4,512 and the German Xetra Dax added 0.7% to 10,272.

In the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1% to 17,828, the S&P 500 was flat at 2,090, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.1% higher at 4,901.

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Sign up

Overnight in Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.4% to 16,834 and the broader Topix rose 0.5% to 1,349. And in China, the CSI 300 fell 0.1% to 3,062 and the Shanghai Composite was one point lower at 2,821.

Brent spot was trading at $49.08 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $49.02. Spot gold was trading at $1,223 an ounce, silver was at $16.29 and platinum was at $994.

In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.4674 and against the euro at 1.3127. The dollar was trading at 0.8945 against the euro and 109.84 against the Japanese yen.

And today, insurer Axa has agreed to sell its Sun Life and Axa Wealth businesses to Phoenix Group as part of its planned withdrawal from the British insurance market.