The two main areas of London's stock market, the leaders and second ranking stocks, measured by the FTSE 100 and 250 indices, had to endure a third straight session of uncertainty yesterday. Only smallcap stocks returned positive.

Dealers in the top stocks were by no means downhearted after the latest display of weakness in the FTSE 100, pointing out that much of the decline was down to a single stock, Reckitt Benckiser, which issued a profits warning.

The weakness was also attributed to a general decline in the banks and utilities, plus a steep fall in some of the market's heavyweights, such as British Telecom and SmithKline Beecham.

The FTSE 100 ended the day 41.5 lower at 6,619.4, having threatened to drop below 6,600 when it fell to the day's low of 6,609.5.

Turnover, topping the two billion mark, was boosted by 136 million shares traded in Vodafone AirTouch, embroiled in its battle for control of Germany's Mannesmann.