LONDON (SHARECAST) - Footsie is still under after the Dow Jones closed below 8,000 for the first time in over five years, with more bad news on the job front from Rolls-Royce and AstraZeneca adding to the unease.

A combination of excessive speed, inadequate tires and snowy, slick conditions have caused at least 400 accidents on southern Ontario highways over the past 24 hours, the Ontario Provincial Police said Thursday.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose slightly on Wednesday as colder U.S. weather offset concerns about slumping fuel demand and a global recession. U.S. crude traded up 36 cents at $54.75 by 1:46 p.m. EST, after falling to a 22-month low of $53.30 earlier. London Brent rose 30 cents to $52.14.

London, Nov 19 : The perfect phone call lasts nine minutes and 36 seconds later, and contains a chatty mix of family news, current affairs, a sprinkling of personal problems and a dash of the weather, according to experts.

Nov. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose, pulled higher by heating oil and natural gas, on speculation the arrival of cold weather in the eastern U.S. will increase fuel consumption.

The next few days could see some major accumulations of the white stuff for the London area as Environment Canada has issued a snow-squall warning along with further accumulations right through until Saturday.

LONDON -- Royal Bank of Scotland PLC's shares soared 13 percent Thursday on expectations stockholders will vote in favor of a proposed 20 billion pound ($30 billion) investment from the government, which would shore up the beleaguered bank's balance sheet.

NEW YORK, Nov 19 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures rose midday on Wednesday, recovering from earlier losses after finding support from heating oil futures, which were lifted by cold weather in the U.S. Northeast, the biggest market for the home heating fuel.