December 19 - FTSE 100 indicators since 1984
Average percentage change for this day: -0.051
Standard deviation : 0.955
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984: 6
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984: 9

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Out of 366 days in a year (including leap years), today is ranked 12 in gold price percentage change performance, with an average positive change in gold price , since 1970, of 0.55 percent.
The day rankings for silver , platinum and paladium are
28 , 56 and 297 respectively.

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Avg. % change	0.55	0.617	0.353	-0.23
No. of times price has gone up	14	15	14	2
No. of times price has gone down	5	9	4	4
Standard deviation % change	0.883	1.644	0.653	0.996

Gold:since 1970, Silver : 1970, Platinum: 1976, Paladium: 1996

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Yahoo European Business
It's down to a lack of interest (FT.com)
A Strong Sterling -- And No Complaints (BusinessWeek Online)
European stock exchanges run out of steam at week's end (AFP)
European Stocks Ease (Reuters)
German Business Sentiment Rises in Dec. (AP)
Barroso warns EU leaders against doing Europe on the cheap (AFP)
Leading shares pare gains as Wall St. turns lower on weak oil stocks (AFP)
German Regulators Investigating Citigroup (AP)
Global Markets: European Stocks Rise (Reuters)
France and Germany escape EU deficit doghouse (AFP)
Europe Jittery on Turkish Membership (AP)

BBC - On This Day
1984: Britain signs over Hong Kong to China
The British colony of Hong Kong is to be returned to China in 1997 after an historic agreement is signed.
2003: Libya gives up chemical weapons
Libya makes a surprise announcement that it will destroy its arsenal of weapons of mass destruction.
1972: Amin ultimatum to Uganda Britons
Ugandan leader General Idi Amin gives British workers an ultimatum to accept reduced pay or be expelled.
1956: Thick fog causes death on roads
At least six people die and several others are injured in road accidents in thick fog.
1997: Tory leader weds
Conservative party leader William Hague marries his fiancée Ffion Jenkins at ceremony in Westminster.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for December 19