WATCH LIVE: Chancellor George Osborne in conversation with Sir Harry Evans

FTSE100 modestly higher midday ahead of US jobs data

CAD Core Retail Sales m/m 0.4% 0.2% 1.0%

CAD Retail Sales m/m 0.2% 0.3% 0.6%

USD Non-Farm Employment Change 148K 182K 169K

USD Unemployment Rate 7.2% 7.3% 7.3%

USD Average Hourly Earnings m/m 0.1% 0.2% 0.2%

Been out, But Non-Farm No's seem to be reasonably received looking at the market numbers.

Stan - Reuter's take - Tepid U.S. job growth supports Fed's cautious stance

Thanks Skinny, Dow and footsie slipping back now so yes "tepid" seems to be the right word!

FTSE100 ends day firmly higher after upbeat earnings

Apple gives away Mac software, unveils iPad Air

SAN FRANCISCO | Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:40pm BST
(Reuters) - Apple Inc on Tuesday took the wraps off a slimmer faster tablet called the iPad Air and said it will give away Macintosh operating and work software free to its users, challenging Microsoft Corp's near-stranglehold on personal computing.

Apple announced the surprise offer, which will be available to all users of Apple MacBooks and Mac computers, at a product event on Tuesday at which it also unveiled a new line of Mac notebooks and computers.

An interesting article. Thanks SK

Yes, thanks Skinny, Might be some VG second hand versions of the last iPads available at a very reasonable price. Personally don't like these "air" style devices.