Both indexes have slipped a bit from peaks in late 1995.

The index also slipped back into negative territory for the year, down 1.38 percent.

The blue-chip index has slipped 11.4 percent so far this year.

Standard & Poor's 500-stock index slipped 4.77 points, to 616.92.

The index has slipped from a two-decade high of 63.6 in January.

But the index slipped into negative territory near the close of the session.

The Standard and Poor's index of 500 companies slipped 6.44, to 912.59.

The index slipped slightly in May, to 54.8 percent.

Man Group was under pressure as the blue-chip index slipped 0.3pc.

But last week that index slipped 2.6 percent, giving back a third of the advance.