Prudential is among the leading fallers as the market turns south again after yesterday's rise.
The insurer reported a 9% drop in third-quarter sales, with growth in Asia and the US making up for a 22% fall in the UK. The Pru says it is looking at all options to increase shareholder value - this could involve listing its Asian business as has been rumoured.
But despite a buy note from Panmure Gordon following the results, investors have decided to cash in profits, and Pru's shares are down 25p to 585.5p.
And with banks and mining groups weaker once more, the FTSE 100 has fallne 65.93 points to 5135.04. John Murphy at ODL Securitie said:
It feels as if we are treading water until the release of the US GDP figures [tomorrow]. If we are to see the US coming out of recession, it may give the whole market more of a feel-good factor, helping provide some impetus once again.
However, everyone predicted the UK would come out of recession when the latest figures were announced last Friday, and look how that turned out.
Apart from Pru, there are a few other major company updates around. BG Group has dipped 19p to 1113.5p after it announced a smaller than expected rise in third quarter production.
Meanwhile Centrica has climbed 0.7p to 244.9p after it sold a 50% stake in three wind farms to US group TCW for £84m.
Retailer Debenhams has dipped 0.65p to 83.7p as it confirmed reports - first revealed here - that private equity group Texas Pacific Group has sold its stake of 120m shares.
