Good morning traders!

Well the Dow managed to stay above the 10,000 mark by the skin of its teeth last night but it was a poor showing. Asia markets are all down too. Bodes ill for the UK market today, I fear.

A bit more going on today than of late.

Insurers will be in focus as Legal & General kicks off the Q2 new business figures season. According to Morgan Stanley, L&G's management have probably been the most upbeat on the near-term prospects for growth in the UK, adding it expects UK life & pensions annual premium equivalent ahead 15% year-on-year.

WH Smith is expected to announce a slump in underlying FY profits but the focus will be the progress of Kate Swann's strategy changes, current trading and the outlook for the Christmas period. For the year to end-August analysts are forecasting a profit before taxation, exceptional items and goodwill amortisation of 67m, down from 102m last time.

Body Shop flagged in June that its six months to end-August pretax profit would be lower than last year's 9.1m due to unfavourable exchange rates and slower wholesale sales. It still forecast a 'satisfactory' year, in line with market expectations.

Marconi is set to update the market on second quarter trading. Deutsche Bank expects ongoing sales of 307m against 289m in Q1, driven by Access Networks and a seasonally strong broadband routing and switching.

Happy trading!

G.

Morning all.

Morning all.

Morning all

morning all,sw are you still in bfp.

Index provider FTSE Group said it has formed an alliance with risk management systems and solutions provider Northfield Information Systems Inc to produce customised risk models linked to a range of FTSE indices.

Dan diBartolomeo, Northfield president said: 'The combination of FTSE data and distribution capability with Northfield's risk modelling experience and systems offers a powerful resource to better serve the needs of global investors.'

Morning all