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