BP was close behind Man in the FTSE fallers, down 13.9p to 431.1p after the oil giant reported a larger than expected 13% fall in underlying first quarter profits.
But there was also dismay that the deal did not seem to address the U.S. government's underlying fiscal problems.
HSBC is down 2.3p at 637.2p as it set aside $378m for a potential fine for alleged manipulation of foreign exchange markets, and reported a worse than expected 12% fall in underlying third quarter earnings.
Despite the dismal times continuing at Morrisons, with a 7.1% fall in underlying first quarter sales, the supermarket's shares recovered from early falls to end 8.1p higher at 198.9p.
"There were many factors underlying this year's GCSEs, including a sizeable increase in entry by 15-year-olds, new science specifications designed with greater challenge, early and multiple entry in mathematics," said Michael Turner, director of the JCQ.
Underlying yesterday's events was wide concern over a possible terrorist attack -- premonitions of a catastrophe aimed at disrupting the Republican convention, the national elections and the American psyche three years after Sept. 11.
"While I don't literally believe the stories underlying Christmas, I do very much believe in its most important messages," he said.
Though the contest supposedly ended in a draw, the surrounding discussion foreshadowed the familiar terms of aesthetic judgment underlying today's competitions: drama versus polish, virtuosity versus lyricism.
Most important, though, is to start by re-examining the policy goals underlying today's subsidies: how far should the government push home ownership, and how much support for affordable housing should be focused on buying rather than renting.
Its underlying 2003 profits will exceed initial expectations.But now that the Japanese, South Koreans and Germans have unleashed an assault on the light-truck market, Detroit has to respond aggressively.
