0838: The FTSE 100 is down three points at 5,898 as it continues to tiptoe around the 5,900 level. M&S is pulling back after a strong rise on Thursday. Market rumours yesterday linked retail tycoon Sir Philip Green to a possible bid for the High Street giant, eight years after his nine-billion-pound offer for the group failed. The speculation followed Green’s sale of a 25 per cent stake in Top Shop last week. However an Arcadia spokesperson denied such speculation yesterday when questioned by Sharecast.

0815: The FTSE 100 opened broadly flat this morning, up just seven points at 5,908, with investors showing caution ahead of the US employment report. Meanwhile, stocks were also dampened by the Bundesbank cutting German growth forecasts for next year from 1.6 per cent (estimated in June) to just 0.4 per cent.