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		</div><p><a href="http://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/global-political-unrest-hits-ftse.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full" title="The FTSE 100 Index closed down 4.4 points at 6083" src="http://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/min-global-political-unrest-hits-ftse.jpg" alt="The FTSE 100 Index closed down 4.4 points at 6083"/></a></p>
<p>London&#8217;s FTSE 100 Index slipped into the red on concerns over global political unrest and moves to curb inflation in China.</p>
<p>Banks and miners proved the biggest drag on the top tier, but gains on Wall Street helped the Footsie pull back from steeper losses seen earlier in the session &#8211; closing down 4.4 points to 6083.</p>
<p>America&#8217;s Dow Jones Industrial Average shook off uncertainty surrounding political troubles in the Middle East and North Africa to settle in positive territory.</p>
<p>But in London, investors were hesitant as the anti-government protests continued and while finance leaders assembled at a G20 meeting in Paris to discuss global economic issues.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, China&#8217;s central bank said it will raise banks&#8217; reserve-requirement &#8211; the second increase this year &#8211; to withdraw excess liquidity from the economy and curb inflation. This raised fears over Chinese demand for raw materials, which combined with depressed copper prices to hit mining stocks.</p>
<p>In currency news, sterling strengthened further as speculation grew that one more member of the Bank of England&#8217;s rate-setting committee may have voted to raise rates at this month&#8217;s meeting. The pound rose to 1.62 US dollars and 1.19 euros.</p>
<p>Petrofac led mining sector declines after the Chinese news, down 69p to 1444p, followed by Rio Tinto off 101.5p at 4397p.</p>
<p>However, safe-haven gold was in demand &#8211; helping African Barrick Gold move 4% higher, up 21p to 571.5p.</p>
<p>Shareholders also moved to lock-in recent bank profits, with Barclays down 4p to 329.6p, part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland off 0.5p to 48.5p and HSBC 8.1p lower at 722.8p.</p>
<p>Water groups Severn Trent and United Utilities were enjoying better fortunes &#8211; up 17p to 1471p and 7p to 594.5p respectively &#8211; after broker Goldman Sachs upgraded stocks in the sector. Their second tier counterpart Northumbrian Water also benefited with an 11p gain to 326.1p.</p>
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