Archived article
Please note that tax, investment, pension and ISA rules can change and the information and any views contained in this article may now be inaccurate.
The FTSE 100 dipped a little as the afternoon wore on as sterling gained ground against the dollar, closing down 0.3% at 7,000.08.
A stronger pound hits the relative value of the overseas earnings which dominate the index. Sentiment also wasn't helped by a weaker open on Wall Street as Covid-19 concerns mount again.
By 4.30pm UK time the S&P 500 was down 0.5% to 4,163.67.
Engineering group Melrose Industries fell 4.6% to 170.6p, having agreed to sell its Nortek Air Management business to Chicago-based Madison Industries for around £2.62 billion ($3.625 billion).
Melrose Industries said a portion of the proceeds would be returned to shareholders, without specifying how much. It also intended to use them to cut debt and contribute around £100 million to pension schemes.
Oil and gas company Energean fell 5.1% to 813p after it reported a widening of annual pre-tax losses amid lower energy prices.
Energean said it would target a maiden dividend in 2022.
Mining group Polymetal International dipped 0.1% to £15.55 on announcing an initial ore estimate for the Buranny area of the Tomtor niobium and rare-earth metals project in Yakutia, Russia.
Polymetal said the estimate, by ThreeArc Mining, made Tomtor one of the top-three rare earths projects globally by reserves.
Healthcare investor Syncona gained 0.2% to 243.5p amid news that portfolio company Gyroscope Therapeutics had filed a registration statement for an initial public offering in the US.
Gyroscope was a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on treating diseases of the eye.
Building insulation group Kingspan climbed 2.6% after it reported a 24% rise in first-quarter sales, led by strength in mainland Europe, and said its outlook for the second quarter was positive.
Specialist wealth manager Mattioli Woods gained 4.1% to 760p as it acquired Caledonia Asset Management for up to £1.6 million..
Property company LondonMetric Property rose 0.5% to 222.6p after it collected 98% of the March quarterly and monthly rents, with a further 0.8% expected 'imminently.'