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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Shares in London close higher | Shares in London close higher |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| (Close): The FTSE 100 closed with a modest gain, but outside the main index shares in Thorntons dived after it issued a profit alert. | (Close): The FTSE 100 closed with a modest gain, but outside the main index shares in Thorntons dived after it issued a profit alert. |
| Thorntons sank 21% after the chocolate maker said this year's profits would be below last year's. | Thorntons sank 21% after the chocolate maker said this year's profits would be below last year's. |
| The benchmark FTSE 100 index finished 21 points higher at 6,598.18. | |
| However, the index gave up some of its earlier gains after the UK current account deficit rose to £27bn, or 6% of GDP, in the third quarter. | However, the index gave up some of its earlier gains after the UK current account deficit rose to £27bn, or 6% of GDP, in the third quarter. |
| The size of the current account deficit, which is the gap between exports and imports, surprised many economists. | The size of the current account deficit, which is the gap between exports and imports, surprised many economists. |
| Also, official figures also revised down the annual rate of GDP growth in the third quarter to 2.6% from 3%. | Also, official figures also revised down the annual rate of GDP growth in the third quarter to 2.6% from 3%. |
| That data helped undermine the pound which fell by almost a cent against the dollar to $1.55150. | That data helped undermine the pound which fell by almost a cent against the dollar to $1.55150. |
| The pound was a touch lower against the euro at €1.27440. | The pound was a touch lower against the euro at €1.27440. |
| "GDP is just kind of an early marker for the problems the pound may face next year, although the market is very thin before Christmas," said Simon Derrick, head of currency research at Bank of New York Mellon in London. | "GDP is just kind of an early marker for the problems the pound may face next year, although the market is very thin before Christmas," said Simon Derrick, head of currency research at Bank of New York Mellon in London. |
| On the stock market, supermarket shares were in demand, with Tesco up 1.7% and Morrisons 2.5% higher. | On the stock market, supermarket shares were in demand, with Tesco up 1.7% and Morrisons 2.5% higher. |