FTSE 100 declines despite modest rise by sterling against the dollar Companies Follow John on: FTSE 100 declines despite modest rise by sterling against the dollar It was a dull day in London, but New York appears headed in the right direction after a negative open Tesla schmesla FTSE 250 sheds 144 points (0.6%) Serco higher after landing government contracts 5.05pm: FTSE ends lower, US indices shake off morning rust London's leading index closed Tuesday down 18 points, 0.3%, at 6,945, while the FTSE 250 lost 144 points, 0.6%, to 22, 433. "European markets have struggled to maintain recent gains today, with the US open driving weakness on both sides of the Atlantic," IG Senior Market Analyst Joshua Mahony wrote. "The recent shift in emphasis for traders has seen vaccination and reopening concerns replaced with a raft of earnings announcements that should help shape expectations for wider sector performance over Q1."