Hello traders!

US stocks traded mostly lower today as inflation worries and higher interest rates trumped solid economic data and strong results from Lehman Bros.

Going into the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 42 points at 10,785. The blue-chip average was off a morning high of 10,838.65.

The Nasdaq Composite was 16 off at 2,035.20, while the S&P500 , was little changed at 1,206.83.

See you in the morning with UK news.....

G.

Good morning traders!

In Asia, the Nikkei has just closed ahead 52.09 at 11,873.18, shrugging off Wall Street's fall.

A busy day of reporting today and a long list of ex-d's to contend with before the budget speech about 12:30pm.

Breaking UK news.....

GlaxoSmithKline's Boostrix whooping cough vaccine recommended by FDA

Happy trading!

G.

CENTRICA CUT TO 'UNDERPERFORM' FROM 'NEUTRAL', TARGET 225P VS 250P AT CSFB

Xstrata downgraded to 'neutral' from 'overweight' by JP Morgan

LAIRD GROUP UPGRADED TO 'BUY' FROM 'NEUTRAL' BY UBS, NEW TGT 420P FROM 355

YM BIOSCIENCES GETS FDA APPROVAL FOR TRIAL OF GLIOMA DRUG THERCIM H-R3

Independent News & Media reports 55 pct rise in 2004 profits

Morning all