FTSE down 0.11% at open

London shares eased at the start of trading on Friday following advances the previous day when the European Central Bank signalled plans for an increase in eurozone interest rates to fight high inflation. The benchmark FTSE 100 index of top shares slipped 0.11 percent to 5,850.24 points in early deals. On Thursday the blue-chip index closed up 0.82 percent at 5,856.34 points. Speaking after the ECB left its main interest rate on hold at 1.25 percent, president Jean-Claude Trichet said the bank's position on inflation was one of "strong vigilance" -- a code for tightening monetary policy in the eurozone. "The ECB left little doubt that it will hike its key interest rate from 1.25 percent to 1.50 percent at its July meeting," IHS Global Insight chief economist Howard Archer said. Meanwhile in London, the Bank of England also left its key interest rate unchanged on Thursday at a record low of 0.50 percent.