Market numbers: Friday 9th May 2014

FTSE 100: 6,814.57 ↓24.68 ↓0.36%

FTSE 250: 15,885.21 ↓ 83.30 ↓ 0.52%

Leading UK company shares slipped off a 10 week high on Friday, its highest since February, with many companies across Europe posting worse than expected earnings.

Further improvements to the US economy are expected to take up some of the slack from poor corporate earnings.

According to Thomson Reuters Datastream, the FTSE 100 index is trading on a 12-month forward price/earnings ratio of around 13 times, against its 10-year average of about 12 times.

US Dollar: £1 buys $1.68510

Euro: £1 buys €1.22500

Japanese Yen: ¥171.56600

Brent Crude Oil Futures $/barrel: 107.93

Forex Gold Index (pm fix) $/oz: 1,291.25

Silver Index $/oz: 19.25

UK 10 Year Benchmark Gilt Yield: 2.70%