European Indexes Finish Lower

London's FTSE 100 index closed Wednesday's session deep in the red spooked by fears of a slowdown across the Atlantic and questions on the strength of US consumer spending on weaker-than-expected home sales. WTI too fell to US$71.95/bbl after US inventories showed a surprise rise in gasoline stocks.

Of local interest, BHP Billiton's (-2.08%) FY profit surged 63.4% to a record US$10.45bn helped by higher commodity prices. However, the miner's shares were hit by a disappointing capital management program. Pallett supplier Brambles (+4.63%) led the gainers by a large margin as its FY profit before one-offs rose 29% on good performance from its CHEP pallet leasing unit in the US. Sage (+3.27%) rose as US peer Intuit posted a smaller-than-expected 4Q loss. Property firm Slough Estates (-1.89%) reported a 7.4% rise 1H NAV and said was turning into a REIT. ITV (-0.47%) sold its 45% interest in TV3 to Doughty Hanson for GBP70m. The broadcaster would use the money to fund the program of returning GBP500m to shareholders. Balfour Beatty (+1.03%) won a GBP180m hospitals contract in Glasgow. Packaging company DS Smith (+0.66%) sold Taplow site for GBP30.25m and is to close the mill.