Stockwatch Daily: London markets defy Nasdaq dip

UK stands firm on US decline...

Despite closing down 0.7 per cent, the Nasdaq failed to drag the London markets into negative territory this morning. Overnight, HP's predictions that the slowdown it initially felt in the US will spread to the rest of the world forced it down 4.46 per cent. Dell also took a knock and was off 3.7 per cent. While this morning the FTSE Eurotop 300 edged up 0.06 per cent, there were mixed results across European bourses. The FTSE TechMark 100 edged up 0.27 per cent during early trading this morning while the Frankfurt DAX 30 was slightly up by 0.04 per cent. However, Germany's Neuer Markt 50, was off 0.5 per cent. Paris also found itself in the red, with the CAC 40 dropping 0.36 per cent.