London equities drifted lower at the start of trading on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 index of top companies down 0.09 percent at 6,098.34 points.

London equities slid on Wednesday as investor sentiment was hit by more gloomy economic news with the World Bank and Germany cutting growth forecasts.

London equities edged higher on Tuesday despite dealers reacting to weak economic growth data for Germany, while awaiting key Chinese numbers due later in the week.

British luxury clothing and accessories group Burberry said on Tuesday that sales rose by seven percent in its third quarter after bucking the gloom that plagued many high-street chains over Christmas.

London equities slipped at the start of trading on Tuesday, with the FTSE 100 index of top companies down 0.10 percent to 6,101.73 points.

London equities closed lower on Monday as traders mulled falling eurozone industrial output while awaiting 2012 earnings reports from US companies and comments by President Barack Obama on the US debt ceiling.

European stock markets were mixed while the euro hit a 20-month high against the yen on Monday as traders mulled falling eurozone industrial output while waiting for 2012 earnings reports from US companies and comments by President Barack Obama on the US debt ceiling.

London shares rose modestly on Friday in the wake of unexpectedly positive comments about the eurozone by European Central Bank head Mario Draghi.

European stock markets closed with modest gains on Friday, while the euro rose against the dollar as traders digested Chinese inflation data and the announcement of a stimulus package in Japan.

European stock markets mostly steadied on Friday, while the euro rose against the dollar, as traders booked profits after recent strong gains and reacted to a stimulus package in Japan.

European stock markets rose slightly at the start of trading on Friday, with London's FTSE 100 index of top companies up 0.18 percent to 6,112.46 points, setting another new peak since May 2008.

London equities rose slightly at the start of trading on Friday following gains in Tokyo and on Wall Street.

Shares in British high street retailer Marks & Spencer fell on Thursday, but clawed back earlier heavy losses, as investors fretted over sliding sales in the key Christmas holiday trading period.

China's insurance regulator said Thursday that it had asked insurer Ping An for more information about the proposed sale of a stake in the company held by HSBC to a Thai tycoon, after media reports said the deal might collapse.

London shares closed slightly higher on Thursday, helped by strong Chinese data as traders took in stride decisions by the Bank of England and European Central Bank to hold key interest rates steady.

Supermarket giant Tesco on Thursday said sales rose at the fastest pace for three years during the recent Christmas and New Year festive period, triggering a turnaround in fortunes for Britain's biggest retailer.

European stock markets rose on Thursday, helped by strong Chinese data as traders took in stride decisions by the European Central Bank and Bank of England to hold key interest rates steady.

European stock markets mostly rose on Thursday helped by strong Chinese data and as traders looked ahead to the outcomes of the year's first monetary policy meetings from the ECB and Bank of England.

Supermarket giant Tesco said on Thursday that sales rose at the fastest pace for three years during the Christmas and New Year trading period, triggering a turnaround in fortunes for the firm, Britain's biggest retailer.

Supermarket giant Tesco said on Thursday that sales rose at the fastest pace for three years during the Christmas and New Year trading period, triggering a turnaround in fortunes for the firm, Britain's biggest retailer.