The FTSE 100 slipped back again yesterday, falling 0.2% to close at 6,857.
Precious metals miner Fresnillo was the day’s biggest faller, down 4.4%. Other poor performers included Industrial testing firm Intertek, which lost 3.4%, and Centrica, which was 2.9% lower.
In European markets, the Paris CAC 40 fell 0.2% to 4,751, and the German Xetra Dax lost 0.4% 10,923.
In the US, markets were closed for a public holiday.
Overnight in Japan, the Nikkei 225 slipped 0.1% to 17,987, and the broader Topix index was 0.2% higher at 1,462. And in China, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.8% to 3,246, and the CSI 300 added 0.7% to 3,522.
Brent spot was trading at $61.58 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $53.05. Spot gold was trading at $1,222 an ounce, silver was at $16.81 and platinum was at $1,1191.
In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.5354 and against the euro at 1.3530. The dollar was trading at 0.8811 against the euro and 118.63 against the Japanese yen.
And today, Canadian financial services firm Fairfax is to buy Brit Insurance for £1.22bn. Brit was floated on the stock exchange less than a year ago, when it was valued at £960m.
David Stevenson, former MoneyWeek writer and director of The Fleet Street Letter, believes silver could be about to start a record climb. Click here (capital at risk) to read about the three irresistible forces David believes could push the price of silver through the roof.