FTSE 100 continues to fall; Royal Mail bid clears national security

London’s FTSE 100 has continued where it left off yesterday with a 33-point fall to 8,071 and a new low for the month.

More selling in the US and Asia overnight is one reason although the Dow Jones Index in New York did break its ten-day losing run albeit only by a whisker.

In the UK, retail sales edged higher in November as a drop at clothing stores was partly offset by growth at supermarkets. Volumes increased by 0.2% month on month, following a 0.7% decline in October.

Government borrowing also fell last month as lower inflation cut interest payments on index-linked gilt debt.

In company news, Royal Mail bidder Daniel Kretinsky has received national security clearance to press ahead with his £3.6 billion bid and seemingly paving for the postal service to be foreign-owned for the first time in its 500-year history.

Finally, today sees the epic battle between Boohoo and Frasers owner Mike Ashley come to a head with a shareholder meeting to vote on proposed changes to the board of the online clothes retailer.