Lloyds was the biggest faller on London’s leading shares index today after it suffered £3.5billion losses and warned of further problems ahead.
The taxpayer-backed bank saw shares slip 2%, 0.8p to 35.7p, after boss Antonio Horta-Osorio said income-related targets would be delayed as the bank comes under pressure from a weak economy and heavier regulation.
The FTSE 100 Index fell 2.8 points 5,935.1, with Royal Bank of Scotland, which reported losses of £2billion yesterday, off 0.2p at 28.5p. Barclays bucked the trend however and added 6.7p at 247.7p.
The personal and home care sector took a pounding after Procter & Gamble announced a £6.3billion cost saving plan. Unilever was near the top of the fallers board, sliding 2% or 40p to £20.50, while Reckitt Benckiser fell 79p to £34.21.
Outside the top flight, bookmaker William Hill was down by more than 1% after its retail arm revealed a 4% slide in profits to £196.8million. Shares fell 3p to 230.5p.
Property website Rightmove fell on the FTSE 250 Index after managing director Ed Williams said the property market in 2012 was likely to remain flat, as it did in 2011. Shares dipped 4p to £13.36.
The biggest Footsie risers were Vedanta Resources up 65p at £15, Evraz ahead 17.4p at 415p, Man Group up 5.4p at 134.4p and Capita ahead 29.5p at 747.5p.
The biggest Footsie fallers included Randgold Resources down 165p at £73.35.
Steven McKay, of investment manager and financial planning specialist Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen, noted EnQuest jumped 3.3% to 129p, Amec added 3.2% to £11.23 and Wood Group finished 2.3% higher to close the day at 741.75p.
On the faller’s board, AG Barr slipped 1.2% to £12.26, SSE shed 0.7% to £12.78 and Faroe Petroleum lost 0.14% to 172.875p.