The retail sector is among today's strugglers, with online Smartphone retailer EXPANSYS prominent among the fallers after saying it expects to report a smaller pre-tax profit than previously anticipated for the year to 30 April amid tough trading in Britain. It expects pre-tax profits for the period to come in at £3.4m, compared to a loss of £200,000 the previous year. Investors may also be nervous ahead of tomorrow's report from the British Retail Consortium, which is expected to report that the strong recovery in shop sales in April came shuddering to a halt in May. The top share index managed to haul itself into the blue following falls this morning, but traders remain nervous over the state of the global economy, benefitting defensively-oriented sectors such as tobacco and pharmaceuticals. Top performing sectors so far todayHousehold Goods & Home Construction 6,611.52 +1.00%Tobacco 31,746.38 +0.98%Technology Hardware & Equipment 758.48 +0.97%General Industrials 3,266.89 +0.89%Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology 9,472.20 +0.69%Bottom performing sectors so far todayReal Estate Investment & Services 1,700.47 -0.82%General Retailers 1,768.02 -0.78%Banks 4,416.12 -0.77%Life Insurance 4,358.98 -0.32%Equity Investment Instruments 6,075.87 -0.30%---RG