Market overview: FTSE slips after weak Chinese import figures

1630:Close Shares managed to end the day well off their worst levels despite weaker than expected data overnight on Chinese imports and figures showing the cost of living in the UK unexpectedly fell back in September. Stock in SAB Miller rocketed higher after accepting a sweetened offer from AB Inbev. Asia-related issues such as StanChart and Burberry were unwanted. FTSE 100 down 28.90 points to 6,342.28.

1629: Three-month copper futures lost 0.5% to end the session at $5,287.50 per metric tonne on the LME.

1617: Rio Tinto chief has reportedly said he is not interested in a bid for Glencore.

1222: Johnson&Johnson has announced a $10bn share repurchase programme. Some market commentary holds that lessens the chances it will launch a takeover of Smith&Nephew.

1024: German investor confidence fell to its weakest level in a year, figures released on Tuesday showed. The ZEW Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim said its index of investor and analyst expectations declined from 12.1in September to 1.9 in October, marking the seventh consecutive decline and falling well short of the 6.5 reading analysts expected.

0930: UK consumer prices slipped back into negative territory in September by 0.1% year-on-year, a slightly lower outcome than had been anticipated.

0915: GlaxoSmithKline was upgraded to overweight from neutral overnight.

0914: Asda may be set to poach Sainsbury's retail and operations director Roger Burnley.

0900: Stocks have started lower on the heels of much weaker than expected data on Chinese imports in September, although the headline number exaggerates the fall, according to some economists. Export figures for the same month on the other hand came in a shade above expectations. Commodity-related issues are weakest on the second tier index. The usual suspects in these circumstances are doing worst on the top flight index: Glencore and StanChart. Royal Mail and the big grocers are close behind. FTSE 100 down 55 points to 6,316.50.