FTSE 100 slightly negative as Wall Street opens lower

• FTSE 100 slides 18 points
• Mixed signals from home delivery specialists
• Slow start for US stocks

The FTSE 100 knocked on the door of 6,900 over the lunchtime period but ended the session marooned on the doorstep.

The FTSE 100 was down 18 points at 6,898.

Ironically, on the day that outdoor dining at commercial establishments became allowable again in England, the top Footsie performer was NV (), which was up 1.7% at 7,348p. Then again, grocery deliveries specialist (), down 3.1% at 2,083p, was the worst performer so there are definitely some mixed signals coming from the home delivery market.

2.40pm: Wall Street starts in the red

The main indices on Wall Street opened in the red on Monday morning as coronavirus infections left investors feeling cautious.

Shortly after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.17% to 33,742 while the S&P 500 sank 0.13% to 4,123 and the Nasdaq fell 0.29% to 13,859.

Traders seem to be awaiting the start of US earnings season, with the major American banks to begin the results cycle this week.

Back in London, the FTSE 100 was slightly lower into later afternoon, down 11 points at 6,904 at around 2.40pm.

1.50pm: FTSE 100 recovers to the doorstep of 6,900

Shoppers are back on the High Street today in England, with footfall reportedly about double the level it was a week ago.

Numbers issued by Springboard, the market research group, indicated that footfall was up by almost 350% on the same Monday of last year, during the first lockdown but down by 36% on the corresponding Monday in 2019 (the pre-lockdown era).

Central London shops are suffering even more than the national average, with footfall down more than 70% compared to April 15, 2019.

The New West End Company which represents some 600 businesses in London’s West End, did not seem overly fazed, reporting that footfall was running at around 55% of the usual number of April visitors, with domestic shoppers out in force.

The area relies heavily on the tourist trade, however, and “the West End businesses will continue to need extra government support,” according to Jace Tyrrell, the chief executive officer of the New West End Company.

“This is why we have written to the government to ask for an extension of Sunday trading hours in Britain’s two international centres – London’s West End and Knightsbridge. Greater flexibility on Sundays is vital to attract customers back into the capital, giving them the opportunity to spend what they want, when they want, all the while boosting the wider economy and crucially protecting jobs,” Tyrrell added.

For most of England, however, the return of the dubious delights of trudging along in the freezing cold to nose around the shops has gone better than expected. Springboard had previously predicted that footfall would be up 128.5% today compared to a year ago and 61.8% below the 2019 level.

Having said that, DIY retailer (), which has done well during the lockdown as bodgers across the land took to doing a few household repairs, was down 2.5% at 335.3p while (), the seller of the sort of stuff you used to get in Woolworth’s and which somehow was allowed to stay open during the lockdown on account of its shops selling a few packets of Corn Flakes and a tin of soup now and again, was down 1.8% at 537.2p.

(), the fashion chain, was down 2.0% at 8,132p.

The FTSE 100 was down 17 points (0.2%) at 6,899.

12.05pm: US indices to falter as coronavirus fears return

Fears over rising coronavirus (COVD-19) infection rates are weighing on sentiment on both sides of the Atlantic on Monday.

Spread betting quoted indicate the Dow Jones industrial average will open 67 points lower to 33,733, the S&P 500 will shed 9 points at 4,120 while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 will slide 56 points to 13,789.

“The…