The FTSE 100 Index struggled for direction today, closing 6.6 points higher at 5,868.6.
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) was in sharp focus after it said additional charges contributed to bottom-line losses of £1.3billion in the third quarter.
RBS shares were initially higher amid further signs of underlying progress but the extra charges and the fact the bank is under scrutiny in an investigation into the Libor rate-rigging scandal unnerved investors and sent shares down 5.9p to 281.3p.
Car insurer Admiral was also seeing hefty share losses, down 61p to £10.81 after its latest trading update fuelled fears that revenue growth was slowing.
Direct Line Insurance Group, which floated on the stock market last month, fell 3.8p to 195.3p despite reporting a 3% rise in profits from ongoing operations in the nine months to September 30.
Supermarket Morrisons was also in the red – down 3.7p to 263.8p – ahead of its third-quarter update next week. Analysts expect the figures to reveal a sharp decline in sales.
Drug giant GlaxoSmithKline endured another painful session following a disappointing trading update earlier this week. Shares fell 2%, or 26p to 1361.5p.
Other big fallers included Weir Group 43p lower at £17.51, Severn Trent off 39p at £15.57 and Pennon down 16.5p to £7.01.
The biggest FTSE 100 risers were International Airline Group up 5.8p to 169.1p, Burberry ahead 38p at £12.53, Tullow Oil 38p higher at £14.45 and Whitbread up 64p to £24.56.
In the second tier, Currys and PC World parent Dixons Retail continued to benefit from rival Comet’s collapse into administration. Dixons added another 11%, or 2.5p to 25.8p after a 14% rise in the previous session.
Stuart Lamont, of investment manager and financial planning specialist Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen, noted FirstGroup up 4% to 208.45p, Premier Oil 3.2% ahead at 364.1p and Cairn Energy rising 1.9% to 288.25p as well as Faroe Petroleum off 8.4% at 149.5p.