August 31: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	-0.078 %
Standard deviation	0.756
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	4
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	6

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	137	255	170	115
Avg. % change	0.121%	-0.162%	0.072%	0.068%
Standard deviation % change	0.895	1.391	1.046	0.288
No. of times price has gone up	6	5	11	2
No. of times price has gone down	10	13	5	1

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

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Yahoo European Business
European stocks set to make modest gains (FT.com)
France calls for more EU dialogue with ECB (FT.com)
EU trade chief warns of economic 'pain'if Chinese textiles not allowed into Europe (Canadian Press)
European stocks recover from shock of 70-dollar oil price (AFP)
European stocks set for opening gains (FT.com)
Survey: German Consumer Sentiment on Rise (AP)
Economic growth faster than expected in second quarter (AFP)
British Economy Grows at Faster Rate in 2Q (AP)
Shares manage to end off lows as Wall St. creeps higher (AFP)
Lloyds TSB gains on Wells Fargo bid talk (Reuters)
Euro weakens against dollar, unable take advantage of good German data (AFP)

On this day
1955 The first sun-powered automobile was demonstrated, in Chicago.

BBC - On This Day
1997: Princess Diana dies in Paris crash
Diana, Princess of Wales, is killed after her car crashes in a Paris underpass - the driver and her friend Dodi Fayed are also dead.
1994: IRA declares 'complete' ceasefire
The IRA announces a "complete cessation of military operations"after 25 years of bombing and killing.
1959: Anglo-US TV debate makes history
British prime minister Harold Macmillan and American president Dwight Eisenhower give an historic live television broadcast from Downing Street.
1977: Smith keeps power in Rhodesia
Ian Smith's ruling Rhodesian Front wins an overwhelming victory in the country's general election.
1989: Royal couple to separate
Buckingham Palace confirms that after 16 years of marriage Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips are to live apart.
1957: Malaya celebrates independence
The Federation of Malaya becomes independent from Britain after a midnight handover ceremony.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 31

August 30: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.084 %
Standard deviation	0.807
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	4
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	8

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	226	256	347	304
Avg. % change	-0.045%	-0.163%	-0.479%	-0.256%
Standard deviation % change	0.601	1.206	1.224	0.976
No. of times price has gone up	6	9	6	0
No. of times price has gone down	11	9	9	3

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

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Yahoo European Business
European stocks set for opening gains (FT.com)
Survey: German Consumer Sentiment on Rise (AP)
Economic growth faster than expected in second quarter (AFP)
British Economy Grows at Faster Rate in 2Q (AP)
European stocks regain ground as oil price recedes (AFP)
Shares manage to end off lows as Wall St. creeps higher (AFP)
Lloyds TSB gains on Wells Fargo bid talk (Reuters)
Euro weakens against dollar, unable take advantage of good German data (AFP)
Pound holds firm against dollar (AFP)
European stocks lag Japan rise (Reuters)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)

On this day
1930 Warren Buffett was born on this day.

BBC - On This Day
1976: Notting Hill Carnival ends in riot
More than 100 police officers are taken to hospital after clashes at the Notting Hill Carnival in west London.
1980: Polish workers win trade union rights
Striking Polish workers win a sweeping victory in a battle with their Communist rulers for the right to independent trade unions and the right to strike.
1982: PLO leader forced from Beirut
The leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) leaves his Beirut headquarters after more than a decade.
2001: Milosevic to face genocide charge
Former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic is to be charged with genocide - the most serious of all war crimes.
1968: Princess Marina laid to rest
Senior members of the Royal Family attend the funeral of Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent, who died earlier this week.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 30

August 29: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	-0.096 %
Standard deviation	0.854
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	8
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	5

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	77	154	187	284
Avg. % change	0.229%	0.106%	0.027%	-0.193%
Standard deviation % change	0.855	0.656	1.079	1.549
No. of times price has gone up	9	11	6	2
No. of times price has gone down	8	7	9	3

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

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Yahoo European Business
Economic growth faster than expected in second quarter (AFP)
British Economy Grows at Faster Rate in 2Q (AP)
European stocks regain ground as oil price recedes (AFP)
Shares manage to end off lows as Wall St. creeps higher (AFP)
Lloyds TSB gains on Wells Fargo bid talk (Reuters)
German Business Confidence Dips in August (AP)
Euro weakens against dollar, unable take advantage of good German data (AFP)
Pound holds firm against dollar (AFP)
European stocks lag Japan rise (Reuters)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)

BBC - On This Day
1965: Gemini V returns to Earth
Two American astronauts splash down safely in the Atlantic after setting a space endurance record.
1974: Rock fans clash with police at festival
At least 220 people are arrested following disturbances at a rock festival in Windsor Great Park in Berkshire.
1950: British troops arrive in Korea
British troops arrive in Korea to bolster the US presence there.
1992: Violence mars German anti-racist rally
A protest march against right-wing attacks on refugees in Germany ends in violence after demonstrators clash with police.
1986: UK's oldest twins turn 100
Britain's oldest twins both receive telegrams from the Queen.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 29

August 28: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	-0.423 %
Standard deviation	1.366
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	7
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	6

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	332	215	48	34
Avg. % change	-0.303%	-0.068%	0.368%	0.303%
Standard deviation % change	1.523	1.83	2.033	2.15
No. of times price has gone up	8	11	11	2
No. of times price has gone down	8	7	6	2

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

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Yahoo European Business
Economic growth faster than expected in second quarter (AFP)
British Economy Grows at Faster Rate in 2Q (AP)
European stocks regain ground as oil price recedes (AFP)
Shares manage to end off lows as Wall St. creeps higher (AFP)
Lloyds TSB gains on Wells Fargo bid talk (Reuters)
German Business Confidence Dips in August (AP)
Euro weakens against dollar, unable take advantage of good German data (AFP)
Pound holds firm against dollar (AFP)
European stocks lag Japan rise (Reuters)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)

BBC - On This Day
1963: King's dream for racial harmony
The fight for racial equality moves a step closer to victory as Dr Martin Luther King tells thousands of Americans his dream for freedom.
2003: Blair gives evidence to Hutton
The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, appears before the Hutton inquiry and speaks of the "raging storm"which followed a controversial BBC report.
2004: Second gold for Holmes
British athlete Kelly Holmes secures a place in Olympic history by winning the 1500m gold in Athens.
1994: Sunday trading legalised
Thousands of shops in England and Wales open legally for the first time following a change in the Sunday trading laws.
1972: Prince William killed in plane crash
Prince William of Gloucester is killed after his light aircraft crashed and burst into flames.
1985: East Germans charged with espionage
An East German couple appear before Horseferry Road magistrates court in London charged under the Official Secrets Act.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 28

August 27: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.051 %
Standard deviation	1.151
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	6
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	6

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	130	184	53	242
Avg. % change	0.134%	0.02%	0.358%	-0.106%
Standard deviation % change	0.769	1.14	1.125	1.067
No. of times price has gone up	10	10	9	2
No. of times price has gone down	6	8	4	3

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

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Yahoo European Business
Economic growth faster than expected in second quarter (AFP)
British Economy Grows at Faster Rate in 2Q (AP)
European stocks regain ground as oil price recedes (AFP)
Shares manage to end off lows as Wall St. creeps higher (AFP)
Lloyds TSB gains on Wells Fargo bid talk (Reuters)
German Business Confidence Dips in August (AP)
Euro weakens against dollar, unable take advantage of good German data (AFP)
Pound holds firm against dollar (AFP)
European stocks lag Japan rise (Reuters)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)

BBC - On This Day
1979: IRA bomb kills Lord Mountbatten
The Queen's cousin, Lord Louis Mountbatten, is killed by a bomb blast on his boat in Ireland.
1979: Soldiers die in Warrenpoint massacre
At least 18 British soldiers are killed in two booby-trap bomb attacks at Warrenpoint, South Down, close to the border with the Irish Republic.
1990: 'Guinness Four' guilty
All four defendants in the marathon Guinness trial are found guilty.
1967: Beatles' manager Epstein dies
The Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, is found dead at his Belgravia home in London.
1950: Television crosses the Channel
The BBC transmits the first ever live television pictures across the Channel.
1987: Maclennan replaces Owen in SDP
Robert Maclennan MP succeeds David Owen as leader of the SDP party.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 27

August 26: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	-0.191 %
Standard deviation	0.799
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	4
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	5

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	121	114	215	29
Avg. % change	0.147%	0.241%	-0.03%	0.323%
Standard deviation % change	0.989	1.702	1.179	1.53
No. of times price has gone up	7	9	8	2
No. of times price has gone down	7	10	7	2

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

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Yahoo European Business
Shares manage to end off lows as Wall St. creeps higher (AFP)
Lloyds TSB gains on Wells Fargo bid talk (Reuters)
European stocks dive as record oil price rattles investors (AFP)
German Business Confidence Dips in August (AP)
Group Cuts British Economy Growth Forecasts (AP)
Euro weakens against dollar, unable take advantage of good German data (AFP)
Pound holds firm against dollar (AFP)
European stocks lag Japan rise (Reuters)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)
Shares close weaker on ex-dividend factors (AFP)

On this day
1629 Cambridge Agreement, English Puritan stockholders of the Massachusetts Bay Company agree to emigrate to New England if the government of the colony was transferred there.

BBC - On This Day
1959: US to 'stand by' West Germans
America will stand by West Germans in their efforts to remain strong and free, the US President pledges.
1975: Rhodesia peace talks fail
Talks between the Rhodesian Government and the African National Council collapse acrimoniously.
1985: Budd smashes 5,000m record
Controversial athlete Zola Budd breaks the world 5,000m record.
1994: Man gets 'bionic' heart
A man is given the world's first battery-operated heart in a pioneering operation in Britain.
1962: Abortion mother returns home
An American mother-of-four is on her way home amid a storm of controversy after having an abortion in Sweden.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 26

August 25: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.257 %
Standard deviation	1.12
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	2
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	8

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	360	357	310	225
Avg. % change	-0.521%	-0.838%	-0.254%	-0.073%
Standard deviation % change	0.86	1.914	0.682	0.202
No. of times price has gone up	2	4	4	0
No. of times price has gone down	15	13	11	3

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

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Yahoo European Business
European stocks fall as BHP Billiton fails to inspire (AFP)
Group Cuts British Economy Growth Forecasts (AP)
Euro weakens against dollar, unable take advantage of good German data (AFP)
Pound holds firm against dollar (AFP)
German Economic Sentiment Climbs in August (AP)
European stocks lag Japan rise (Reuters)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)
Shares close in red; pharma gains fail to offset weak oil stocks (AFP)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)
Shares close weaker on ex-dividend factors (AFP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)

On this day
1919 The first scheduled passenger service by airplane started (Paris-London).

BBC - On This Day
1944: Paris is liberated as Germans surrender
General Charles de Gaulle enters the capital of France after French and US troops force a German surrender.
2003: Bombay rocked by twin car bombs
Two powerful bomb blasts hit the Indian city of Bombay within minutes of each other, killing at least 44 and injuring nearly 150.
1997: East German leader guilty of Berlin Wall deaths
A court in Berlin sentences the former East German leader, Egon Krenz, to six-and-a-half years in prison.
1989: Voyager spacecraft reaches Neptune
The unmanned Voyager 2 spacecraft sends back the first close-up pictures of Neptune and its satellite planets.
1967: 'American Hitler' shot dead
The leader of the American Nazi party, George Lincoln Rockwell, is shot and killed by a sniper at a shopping centre in Arlington, Virginia.
1974: Human cannonball misses target
A woman fired from a cannon in Bristol fails to break the English record for the second time.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 25

August 24: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.318 %
Standard deviation	0.904
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	3
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	10

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	249	226	227	181
Avg. % change	-0.087%	-0.105%	-0.05%	-0.02%
Standard deviation % change	1.451	1.181	1.003	0.468
No. of times price has gone up	8	7	7	1
No. of times price has gone down	12	12	12	3

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

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Yahoo European Business
Euro weakens against dollar, unable take advantage of good German data (AFP)
Pound holds firm against dollar (AFP)
European stocks fall amid rising oil price, BA strike threat (AFP)
German Economic Sentiment Climbs in August (AP)
European stocks lag Japan rise (Reuters)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)
Shares close in red; pharma gains fail to offset weak oil stocks (AFP)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)
Shares close weaker on ex-dividend factors (AFP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)

On this day
1912 Alaska became a US territory.

BBC - On This Day
1993: Michael Jackson accused of child abuse
Police in Los Angeles are investigating allegations of child abuse made against singer Michael Jackson.
1985: Sleeping boy killed in police raid
A five-year-old boy is shot dead in a police raid on his home in Birmingham.
1990: Irish hostage released in Lebanon
The Irish hostage, Brian Keenan, is released in Beirut after more than four years in captivity.
1954: Brazilian president found dead
Brazilian president Getulio Vargas resigns under pressure from the military and then commits suicide just hours later.
1967: Penguins cool off in heat wave
Two penguins from Chessington Zoo are taken on a day trip to a local ice-rink to cool off during sweltering London temperatures.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 24

August 23: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	-0.091 %
Standard deviation	0.891
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	8
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	6

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	229	52	294	203
Avg. % change	-0.05%	0.441%	-0.217%	-0.033%
Standard deviation % change	0.997	1.699	1.492	0.341
No. of times price has gone up	9	12	9	3
No. of times price has gone down	12	10	11	1

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

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Yahoo European Business
European stocks start week in rise (AFP)
European stocks lag Japan rise (Reuters)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)
Shares close in red; pharma gains fail to offset weak oil stocks (AFP)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)
Shares close weaker on ex-dividend factors (AFP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)
German Economy Stagnates in Second Quarter (AP)
Eurozone economy grows 0.3 percent in second quarter: EU (AFP)
Investors Move East to Booming Romania (AP)

On this day
1971 The UK Pound allowed to float for the first time since the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1944.

BBC - On This Day
1990: Outrage at Iraqi TV hostage show
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein appears on state television with western hostages, provoking a storm of outrage.
1991: Gorbachev punishes coup plotters
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev begins his purge of cabinet members and officials involved in the failed coup four days ago.
1961: Couple found shot in A6 lay-by
Police launch a murder hunt after a man is found shot dead and his companion seriously wounded in a lay-by in Bedfordshire.
1985: West German spy chief defects to East
The head of West German counter-intelligence is unmasked as an East German spy.
1979: Kurdish revolt grows in Iran
Kurds in Iran oust government troops from a large area near the Iraqi border.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 23

August 22: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.023 %
Standard deviation	0.728
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	8
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	7

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	233	235	108	231
Avg. % change	-0.058%	-0.122%	0.201%	-0.083%
Standard deviation % change	0.676	1.288	0.998	0.674
No. of times price has gone up	9	7	10	2
No. of times price has gone down	11	15	8	3

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

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Yahoo European Business
European stocks forge higher as mining shares rally in London (AFP)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)
Shares close in red; pharma gains fail to offset weak oil stocks (AFP)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)
Shares close weaker on ex-dividend factors (AFP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)
German Economy Stagnates in Second Quarter (AP)
Eurozone economy grows 0.3 percent in second quarter: EU (AFP)
Investors Move East to Booming Romania (AP)
Bank of England Lowers Growth Forecast (AP)

On this day
1906 The First Victor Victrola was manufactured.

BBC - On This Day
1978: Kenya's founding father dies
The Kenyan president, Jomo Kenyatta, dies aged 89 at his home in Mombasa.
1972: Rhodesia out of Olympics
Rhodesia is thrown out of the Olympic Games with just four days to go before the opening ceremony in the German city of Munich.
1986: Police chief cleared of misconduct
Deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester police John Stalker is cleared of misconduct.
1999: Man in custody after burglary shooting
A 54-year-old farmer is arrested after a suspected burglar was killed at a farmhouse in Norfolk.
1966: ICI announces big nylon job losses
Britain's largest manufacturing company Imperial Chemical Industries announces 1,000 redundancies at its nylon-fibre producing factories.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 22

August 21: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.071 %
Standard deviation	1.232
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	6
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	10

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	72	237	67	35
Avg. % change	0.237%	-0.126%	0.3%	0.299%
Standard deviation % change	1.066	1.225	1.192	1.181
No. of times price has gone up	10	11	11	4
No. of times price has gone down	11	12	9	1

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

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Yahoo European Business
European stocks forge higher as mining shares rally in London (AFP)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)
European stock markets aim to end downward run (FT.com)
European stocks set for steady open (FT.com)
Shares close in red; pharma gains fail to offset weak oil stocks (AFP)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)
Shares close weaker on ex-dividend factors (AFP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)
German Economy Stagnates in Second Quarter (AP)
Eurozone economy grows 0.3 percent in second quarter: EU (AFP)

On this day
1944 Dumbarton Oaks conference opens in Washington, establishes UN.

BBC - On This Day
1968: Russia brings winter to 'Prague Spring'
Dozens are killed in a massive Soviet military clampdown in Czechoslovakia.
1973: 'Bloody Sunday' inquest accuses Army
The coroner presiding over the "Bloody Sunday"inquest accuses the British army of "sheer unadulterated murder".
1986: Hundreds gassed in Cameroon lake disaster
At least 1,200 people are feared dead after volcanic gases escape from a lake in Cameroon.
1983: Filipino opposition leader shot dead
Philippines opposition leader Benigno Aquino is assassinated minutes after returning home from exile.
1986: Giant glacier threatens eco disaster
A huge glacier in Alaska is threatening to cause an ecological disaster in the region.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 21

August 20: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	-0.037 %
Standard deviation	0.697
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	8
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	7

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	102	70	49	253
Avg. % change	0.181%	0.354%	0.364%	-0.118%
Standard deviation % change	1.632	2.207	2.457	1.111
No. of times price has gone up	11	12	10	3
No. of times price has gone down	10	10	10	2

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

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Yahoo European Business
European stocks forge higher as mining shares rally in London (AFP)
French economic growth slows in second quarter on lower spending (Canadian Press)
European stock markets aim to end downward run (FT.com)
European stocks set for steady open (FT.com)
Shares close in red; pharma gains fail to offset weak oil stocks (AFP)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)
Bourses higher after oil prices fall sharply (FT.com)
Bourses seen strarting higher after oil falls (FT.com)
Shares close weaker on ex-dividend factors (AFP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)

On this day
2001 The average price of a pint of standard lager reached �2 for the first time.

BBC - On This Day
1989: Marchioness river crash 'kills 30'
At least 30 people die after a pleasure cruiser and a barge collided on the River Thames.
1992: Duchess of York in photos row
Intimate photographs of the Duchess of York and a Texan businessman are published in a tabloid newspaper.
1978: Two dead after El Al crew ambushed
Two people die during an attack on a bus carrying Israeli airline staff in central London.
1970: Bobby Moore cleared of stealing
The England soccer captain, Bobby Moore, is cleared of charges of stealing in a trial in Colombia.
1992: Iraq jails 'lost' Briton
Iraq sentences a British man to seven years in jail for what it calls "illegal entry"into the country.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 20

August 19: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	-0.095 %
Standard deviation	1.256
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	8
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	6

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	129	44	10	300
Avg. % change	0.136%	0.493%	0.573%	-0.241%
Standard deviation % change	1.373	1.363	1.34	0.86
No. of times price has gone up	11	14	13	2
No. of times price has gone down	9	9	4	3

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

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Yahoo European Business
French Economic Growth Slows in 2Q (AP)
European stock markets aim to end downward run (FT.com)
European stocks set for steady open (FT.com)
Shares close in red; pharma gains fail to offset weak oil stocks (AFP)
European stocks fall amid lower oil price, RBoS China deal (AFP)
Euro-Zone Inflation Rises to 2.2 Percent (AP)
Bourses higher after oil prices fall sharply (FT.com)
Bourses seen strarting higher after oil falls (FT.com)
Shares close weaker on ex-dividend factors (AFP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)

On this day
1908 Harvard University announced that it would open a Graduate School of Business.

BBC - On This Day
1987: Gunman kills 14 in Hungerford rampage
A man shoots 14 people dead in the Berkshire town of Hungerford.
1991: Hardliners stage coup against Gorbachev
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is overthrown in a coup as Communist hardliners take over.
2003: UN envoy dies in Baghdad bombing
A massive bomb wrecks the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, killing at least 17 people including the UN's chief envoy to Iraq.
1942: Allies launch daring raid on Dieppe
Allied troops, mainly Canadian, pull back after nine hours of heavy fighting on the French coast at Dieppe, northwest of Paris.
1960: Moscow jails American U-2 spy pilot
The United States pilot, Francis Gary Powers, is sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Soviet military court.
1975: Davis campaigners stop Test match
Campaigners calling for the release of robber George Davis from prison vandalise the pitch at Headingley cricket ground in Leeds.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 19

August 18: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.389 %
Standard deviation	1.127
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	5
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	9

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	83	92	111	98
Avg. % change	0.217%	0.288%	0.198%	0.103%
Standard deviation % change	1.395	2.499	1.77	0.812
No. of times price has gone up	13	9	9	4
No. of times price has gone down	7	14	9	1

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

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Yahoo European Business
Bourses higher after oil prices fall sharply (FT.com)
Bourses seen strarting higher after oil falls (FT.com)
Shares close weaker on ex-dividend factors (AFP)
European stocks weaken after Wall Street sinks overnight (AFP)
FTSE 100 led higher by media stocks (FT.com)
Bourses seen higher as oil price slips (FT.com)
French Economy Worse Than Expected in 2Q (AP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)
German Economy Stagnates in Second Quarter (AP)
Eurozone economy grows 0.3 percent in second quarter: EU (AFP)

On this day
1587 The First English child was born in the New World.

BBC - On This Day
1992: Serbian prison camps condemned
Conditions in two Serbian detention camps are condemned as "hell on earth"by the man leading a delegation to inspect them.
1964: South Africa banned from Olympics
South Africa are barred from taking part in the 18th Olympic Games in Tokyo over its refusal to condemn apartheid.
1989: Man U sold in record takeover deal
Manchester United Football Club is sold for �20m in the biggest takeover deal in the history of British football.
1969: Woodstock music festival ends
Three days and nights of sex, drugs and rock and roll come to a peaceful end as the Woodstock music festival winds down.
1971: Army shot 'unarmed' disabled man
The British Army is accused of shooting dead an unarmed, disabled man during disturbances in Northern Ireland.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 18

August 17: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	-0.083 %
Standard deviation	0.931
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	5
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	9

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	220	260	224	124
Avg. % change	-0.036%	-0.165%	-0.048%	0.057%
Standard deviation % change	0.869	1.513	1.637	0.774
No. of times price has gone up	10	9	9	2
No. of times price has gone down	9	12	9	2

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

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Yahoo European Business
European stocks mixed amidst lower oil price, telecoms news (AFP)
FTSE 100 led higher by media stocks (FT.com)
Bourses seen higher as oil price slips (FT.com)
FTSE treads water at open (FT.com)
French Economy Worse Than Expected in 2Q (AP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)
German Economy Stagnates in Second Quarter (AP)
Eurozone economy grows 0.3 percent in second quarter: EU (AFP)
Investors Move East to Booming Romania (AP)
Bank of England Lowers Growth Forecast (AP)

On this day
1896 Gold was discovered on the Klondike River.

BBC - On This Day
1998: Clinton admits Lewinsky affair
President of the United States, Bill Clinton, admits having an inappropriate relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
1987: Hitler's deputy found dead
Rudolf Hess, Hitler's former right-hand man, is found dead in Spandau Prison.
1999: Turkey hit by huge earthquake
The most powerful earthquake to hit Turkey leaves at least 1,000 people dead.
2000: Prince William makes the grade
Prince William passes three A-levels and secures a place to study history of art at the oldest university in Scotland, St Andrews.
1978: US balloonists' record Atlantic crossing
Three Americans make the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by hot air balloon.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 17

August 16: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.116 %
Standard deviation	0.697
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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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	67	113	24	202
Avg. % change	0.251%	0.243%	0.475%	-0.033%
Standard deviation % change	0.801	1.3	1.472	0.456
No. of times price has gone up	11	9	11	1
No. of times price has gone down	9	12	6	3

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

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Yahoo European Business
FTSE 100 led higher by media stocks (FT.com)
Bourses seen higher as oil price slips (FT.com)
European stocks enjoy mixed fortunes (AFP)
FTSE treads water at open (FT.com)
French Economy Worse Than Expected in 2Q (AP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)
German Economy Stagnates in Second Quarter (AP)
Eurozone economy grows 0.3 percent in second quarter: EU (AFP)
Investors Move East to Booming Romania (AP)
Bank of England Lowers Growth Forecast (AP)

On this day
1955 Fiat Motors ordered the first private atomic reactor.

BBC - On This Day
2004: Dozens stranded in Cornish floods
Flash floods devastate a north Cornwall coastal village after the area's average August rainfall fell in just two hours.
1977: Rock and roll 'king' Presley dies
Elvis Presley, whose singing and style revolutionized popular music in the 1950s, dies after collapsing at his home.
1952: Flood devastates Devon village
Twelve bodies are recovered and 24 people are missing feared dead in the flood which has swept through Lynmouth in north Devon.
2003: 'War criminal' Idi Amin dies
The notorious former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin dies in exile in a Saudi Arabian hospital.
2001: Diana butler charged with theft
A former butler to Princess Diana is charged with stealing hundreds of items from the Wales household.
1984: DeLorean cleared of drugs charges
Former car maker John DeLorean is cleared of all charges against him at his drug trafficking trial in Los Angeles.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 16

August 15: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.108 %
Standard deviation	1.314
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	4
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	10

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	21	208	163	303
Avg. % change	0.46%	-0.044%	0.083%	-0.248%
Standard deviation % change	2.232	1.428	1.102	0.914
No. of times price has gone up	9	13	10	1
No. of times price has gone down	12	9	9	3

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

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Yahoo European Business
FTSE treads water at open (FT.com)
French Economy Worse Than Expected in 2Q (AP)
European stocks drop on historic oil price, strikes hit BA shares (AFP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)
German Economy Stagnates in Second Quarter (AP)
Eurozone economy grows 0.3 percent in second quarter: EU (AFP)
Investors Move East to Booming Romania (AP)
Bank of England Lowers Growth Forecast (AP)
London shares close higher as rally in banks offsets oil price spike (AFP)
European shares rise as techs rally (Reuters)

On this day
1914 The Panama Canal opened.
2001 Enron employee Sherron Watkins sent a letter to Chief Executive Kenneth Lay warning of accounting irregularities that could pose a threat to the company.
1971 End of the Bretton Woods era. Strain on fixed exchange rate system resulted in the US ending dollar/gold convertibility.

BBC - On This Day
1945: Allied nations celebrate VJ Day
Allied nations across the globe rejoice on Victory in Japan day that marks the end of World War II.
1998: Dozens die in Omagh bombing
At least 27 people are feared dead after a massive car bomb in the town of Omagh in Northern Ireland.
1965: Los Angeles riot toll keeps rising
At least 28 people die and hundreds are injured after a weekend of rioting in Los Angeles.
1971: 'V-sign' costs rider victory
Controversial horse rider Harvey Smith is stripped of his �2,000 winnings and a major show jumping title for allegedly making a rude gesture.
1985: Virgin voyage ends in disaster
The speedboat Virgin Atlantic Challenger capsizes off the south-west of England scuppering Richard Branson's attempt at the fastest-ever Atlantic crossing.
1950: Princess gives birth to second child
The King's eldest daughter and heir to the throne, Princess Elizabeth, gives birth to a daughter at Clarence House in London.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 15

August 13: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.079 %
Standard deviation	0.848
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	7
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	9

---

Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	316	360	285	145
Avg. % change	-0.231%	-0.954%	-0.169%	0.024%
Standard deviation % change	1.146	2.062	1.628	0.768
No. of times price has gone up	8	6	8	2
No. of times price has gone down	13	17	12	3

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

---

Yahoo European Business
French Economy Worse Than Expected in 2Q (AP)
European stocks drop on historic oil price, strikes hit BA shares (AFP)
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)
German Economy Stagnates in Second Quarter (AP)
Eurozone economy grows 0.3 percent in second quarter: EU (AFP)
Investors Move East to Booming Romania (AP)
Bank of England Lowers Growth Forecast (AP)
London shares close higher as rally in banks offsets oil price spike (AFP)
European shares rise as techs rally (Reuters)
ECB Keeps Euro-Zone Rate Unchanged (AP)

On this day
2002 The car manufacturer Ford sold its subsidiary Kwik-Fit to CVC Capital Partners for �330m. Ford had taken Kwik-Fit over in 1999 and paid over �1bn.

BBC - On This Day
1961: Berliners wake to divided city
Troops in East Germany seal off the border between East and West Berlin, shutting off the escape route for thousands of refugees from the East.
1966: China announces Cultural Revolution
China announces plans for a "new leap forward"after the first meeting in four years of the Communist Party's Central Committee.
1977: Violent clashes at NF march
More than 200 protesters are arrested after demonstrations in Lewisham against a National Front march.
1985: Heart-lung transplant makes history
A three-year-old boy from Dublin becomes the world's youngest heart and lung transplant patient.
1991: Prince quits in museum design row
The Prince of Wales resigns as the patron of Scotland's national museum over a competition to design a new building.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 13

August 12: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	0.249 %
Standard deviation	0.918
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	4
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	11

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	78	26	37	205
Avg. % change	0.228%	0.661%	0.413%	-0.04%
Standard deviation % change	0.799	1.668	1.467	0.526
No. of times price has gone up	12	15	11	2
No. of times price has gone down	8	7	7	3

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

---

Yahoo European Business
London shares close down as concerns over oil price weight on sentiment (AFP)
EU, Euro-Zone Economies Grow 0.3 Percent (AP)
German Economy Stagnates in Second Quarter (AP)
Eurozone economy grows 0.3 percent in second quarter: EU (AFP)
Investors Move East to Booming Romania (AP)
Bank of England Lowers Growth Forecast (AP)
French Manufacturing Extends Increase (AP)
European stocks climb, London nears four-year high (AFP)
European bourses seen starting slightly higher (FT.com)
London shares close higher as rally in banks offsets oil price spike (AFP)
European shares rise as techs rally (Reuters)

On this day
1982 US bear market ended, with Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) at 776.92 points, and Nasdaq at 159.84.

BBC - On This Day
1985: Hundreds dead in Boeing crash
A Japan Airlines jumbo jet crashes on a remote mountainside 70 miles from Tokyo in Japan.
1969: Police use tear gas in Bogside
The Royal Ulster Constabulary uses tear gas for the first time in its history afternine hours of rioting in the Bogside area of Londonderry.
1964: Great Train Robber escapes from jail
A massive manhunt is underway across Britain after one of the gang involved in the Great Train Robbery breaks out of a high-security prison in Birmingham.
2003: Gilligan: language 'wasn't perfect'
BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan answers questions from the Hutton Inquiry over his report that the government "sexed up"a weapons dossier on Iraq.
2000: Murdered schoolgirl's life celebrated
The family of murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne is joined by friends and hundreds of members of the public for a memorial service.
1990: Briton shot by Iraqis
A British man attempting to escape in a convoy from Iraqi-occupied Kuwait is shot by Iraqi soldiers.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 12

August 11: FTSE100 Performance Analysis For This Day

Average percentage change for this day	-0.034 %
Standard deviation	1.05
No. of times the FTSE has gone down today since 1984	7
No. of times FTSE has gone up today since 1984	7

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Metals data for today

	Gold	Silver	Platinum	Paladium
Day ranking (out of 365)	65	129	64	199
Avg. % change	0.262%	0.177%	0.317%	-0.032%
Standard deviation % change	1.346	1.762	2.128	0.38
No. of times price has gone up	11	11	10	1
No. of times price has gone down	9	11	9	3

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

---

Yahoo European Business
Investors Move East to Booming Romania (AP)
Bank of England Lowers Growth Forecast (AP)
French Manufacturing Extends Increase (AP)
European stocks climb, London nears four-year high (AFP)
European bourses seen starting slightly higher (FT.com)
Germany's Trade Surplus Rises Unexpectedly (AP)
European bourses poised for opening losses (FT.com)
London shares close higher as rally in banks offsets oil price spike (AFP)
European shares rise as techs rally (Reuters)
London shares in the black at close as oil prices ease; miners rally (AFP)
ECB Keeps Euro-Zone Rate Unchanged (AP)

On this day
2000 Barclays announced its takeover of rival Woolwich in a �5.4bn ($8.1bn) deal.
1998 British Petroleum and US oil giant Amoco announced plans for a $110bn merger. The deal placed it in the top three of international oil producers.

BBC - On This Day
1982: Krays let out for mother's funeral
The notorious East End gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray have been allowed out of prison for their mother's funeral.
1999: Millions marvel at total eclipse
Up to 350 million people in Europe and Asia witness the last total solar eclipse of the century.
1971: Admiral's Cup triumph for Heath
Prime Minister Edward Heath steers the British yachting team to Admiral's Cup victory.
1984: Zola Budd in race trip controversy
British athlete sparks controversy in the 3,000m Olympics final as American favourite Mary Decker trips over her.
2000: Air rage pair jailed
Two men are jailed after an incident of "air rage"on board a holiday jet bound for Jamaica.

Wikipedia On This Day
Wikipedia entry for August 11