Gains for Marks & Spencer and Next failed to stop the FTSE 100 index closing 42.6 points down at 5454.8.

Miners provided eight of the top ten fallers, with Kazakhmys down 7 per cent and Anglo American off more than 6 per cent.

With oil prices touching a four-month low near $112 US dollars a barrel, oil giants BP and Royal Dutch Shell slipped 11.5p to 515.5p and 40p to 1763p respectively.

Analysts latched on to weekly sales figures from the John Lewis Partnership, which said sales at its department stores grew 9.3 per cent while supermarket chain Waitrose gained 0.8 per cent.

One of the biggest gains in the sector came from Carphone Warehouse, which lifted 3.9p to 201.5p, with fashion chain Next ahead 28p at 1037p and B&Q firm Kingfisher 3.2p stronger at 130.1p. Marks & Spencer also rose 10.25p to 276p.

The other notable rise came from British Airways as investors welcomed the prospect of BA, Iberia and American Airlines co-operating commercially on flights between the United States, Latin American and Europe.

With oil prices falling the shares were 7.25p ahead to 261p.

Winners: Wolseley up 28p to 438.75p, Ferrexpo up 10p to 245p, FirstGroup up 23.5p to 581.5p and Marks & Spencer which ended the day up 10.25p at 276p.

Risers: Kazakhmys, down 89p to 1173p, Eurasian Natural Resources, which was 67p lower at 969p, Anglo American down 188p at 2735p and Xstrata which closed 172p down at 1878p.

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