The UK government borrowed £20 billion in September, £2.2 billion more than expected, and that news helped to push the pound down again, by 0.6%, to $1.12. Gilt yields also rose once more. The continuing political instability didn’t help either.

The FTSE 100 spent most of the day in negative territory but had edged up 0.3% at the end to 6,969.73. The FTSE 250 closed down 1% at 17,206.55.

As mortgage holders fret about rising interest rates, a Bank of England official, Ben Broadbent, said that rates were unlikely to go above 5%. This may offer some very modest comfort to homeowners.

In today’s movers, we look at several retailers on the slide, and at a small currency manager where the share price has soared 7% today.