Market Report: Debenhams' profit warning spooks markets enough to drag competitors down with them

By the time traders headed off after just four hours of trading to start celebrating – or commiserating – the end of an exciting year for stocks, the retail sector was already nursing sore heads thanks to Debenhams.

By putting out a profit warning while the sales are still in full swing, Debs, off 10.15p at 73p, spooked the markets enough to drag competitors down with them. Its chief executive Michael Sharp also helpfully pointed out just how much of a struggle this Christmas has been for retailers generally.

Four of the top 10 biggest fallers of the FTSE 100, which closed out the year up 17.82 at 6,749.09, were all retailers, which is rarely seen when just nine of the 100 companies on the premier list of blue chip companies are in the retail sector.

Marks and Spencer was the biggest faller, down 10.1p to 432.3p. Analysts and commentators have put the brand on the casualty list for Christmas, especially after its chief executive Marc Bolland launched a "30 per cent off everything" sale just days before Christmas.

The fear is that if Debenhams had such a tough time, M&S must surely follow, especially since the milder autumn and winter weather has seen rows of jumpers and coats remain unsold.

Dragged down too were J Sainsbury, off 6.1p to 365p. Deutsche Bank cut its price target and UBS put it on a list of possible takeover targets, although grocers tend to pull through reasonably well from Christmas.

Wm Morrison was also a faller, down 2.7p to 261p, following recent spending data showing the supermarket is continuing to struggle, with some even suggesting double digit falls across some stores on a like-for-like basis Associated British Foods, owner of Primark, also fell 25p to 2,445p.

At the other end of the market, several property companies put in a good show as traders start to get excited for the house building year ahead. Signs such as mortgage approvals jumping, and the economy improving, appear to be helping shares along. Berkeley jumped 120p to 2,589p, estate agent Countrywide was up 25.5p to 586.4p, and office servicing business Regus up 8.4p to 217.2p. Rightmove also rose 77p to an all-time high of 2,740p after announcing plans for a share buyback scheme starting on Thursday.