London close: US debt uncertainty persists, Footsie finishes under

The Footsie trimmed earlier gains as markets in the US recovered after a weak start. Despite falling as low as 5,893 on Monday, London's blue chip index finished firmly above the 5,900 mark, as giants BP, ARM, BG and GlaxoSmithKline rose ahead of their interim results due tomorrow. While stocks on Wall Street took a hit after the opening bell, the retreat wasn't as bad as many had expected, even though the nation is only eight days from a possible default. Investors continued "to call Washington's bluff" in regards to the debt ceiling talks, according to CNNMoney, which suggested that investors do not believe that government officials will allow the US to default on its debt.Meanwhile, the euro crisis raged on after ratings agency Moody's downgraded Greece's sovereign debt rating by three notches from Caa1 to Ca, a mere two stations above a rating that would signify a default. Investors are concerned that Spain and even Italy could be next in the firing line. Back in London on the FTSE 100, silver producer Fresnillo finished as a high riser on the back of a rising silver price, which increased by 0.74% to $40.42 at 16:44. Gold prices edged upwards also, as nervousness over the US debt talks boosted the safe-haven appeal of precious metals.The banks were among the worst performers as volatility in the sector continues amidst the ongoing euro crisis. Banking shares rallied on Thursday after European leaders agreed a new aid package for Greece and an overhaul of the Eurozone sovereign rescue fund. However, Barclays, RBS and Lloyds were all lower today as a result of concern about the future of the single currency. Insurers Aviva, Resolution, Admiral and Standard Life were also among the heavy fallers.Sector peers Melrose and Charter International were rising after Melrose said today that it is thinking over whether or not to up its bid for Charter after the target dismissed its first two offers. "Melrose is willing to consider increasing its proposal to reflect any information which demonstrates that it has materially undervalued Charter and justifies such an increase," the firm said. Dixons Retail was a heavy faller on the FTSE 250 after UBS downgraded the electricals retailer from "neutral" to "sell", saying that trading is "set to remain tougher for longer". The Swiss broker thinks that Dixons, which owns PC World and Currys, is likely to report a weak first quarter "given the tough World Cup comparative [of last year] but we expect [the second half] to remain tough". Leading the risers was pizza delivery group Domino's Pizza, after it posted a sharp rise in first-half profits in the first half of the year despite the tough economic climate. BCFTSE 100 - RisersFresnillo (FRES) 1,729.00p +2.86%Weir Group (WEIR) 2,210.00p +2.55%United Utilities Group (UU.) 598.00p +1.70%GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,363.50p +1.68%Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,600.00p +1.39%Capital Shopping Centres Group (CSCG) 386.10p +1.39%Reckitt Benckiser Group (RB.) 3,526.00p +1.38%GKN (GKN) 238.20p +1.15%BG Group (BG.) 1,425.00p +1.10%Hammerson (HMSO) 477.10p +1.10%FTSE 100 - FallersBarclays (BARC) 228.95p -4.44%Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 45.10p -4.30%Aviva (AV.) 412.60p -3.01%Resolution Ltd. (RSL) 281.90p -2.32%Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 596.00p -2.05%Admiral Group (ADM) 1,562.00p -2.01%Autonomy Corporation (AU.) 1,662.00p -1.71%Cairn Energy (CNE) 386.80p -1.58%Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 36.28p -1.57%Vodafone Group (VOD) 162.00p -1.55%