Bleak US jobs figures and worrying manufacturing data from the UK and overseas saw London’s leading shares index continue its miserable run today.
The FTSE 100 Index fell 60.7 points to 5,260.2 as a raft of gloomy surveys highlighted fears that the eurozone crisis is affecting economies worldwide.
Commodity stocks were spooked by the weakening economic prospects, with Vedanta Resources 45.5p lower at 883.5p.
The price of Brent crude dropped nearly 3% to below $100 a barrel – at times hitting 16-month lows – amid the global uncertainty.
BP shares still rose however, after the oil giant signalled the potential sale of its 50% stake in Russian joint venture TNK-BP. Shares were 7.1p higher at 402p.
On the fallers board, broadcaster ITV dropped for a second session after Investec added its voice to fears in the City that the outlook in the television advertising market had deteriorated. ITV slipped 5% or 3.5p to 69.5p.
Outside the top flight, shares in pubs group Enterprise Inns were 7% or 4.8p lower at 60.5p, even though a deal to secure new banking facilities raised hopes of dividend payments to shareholders.
The biggest Footsie risers were Randgold Resources up 360p at £55.55, Man Group ahead 2.6p at 75.5p, Severn Trent up 39p at £17.60, and International Consolidated Airlines ahead 3.1p at 141.8p.
Among the biggest Footsie fallers were Evraz off 14.3p at 281p and CRH off 51p at £10.52.
Stuart Lamont, of investment manager and financial planning specialist Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen, noted Lloyds Banking Group rose 1.3% to 25.7p, SSE was up 0.7% at £13.32 and Royal Bank of Scotland inched 0.1% higher to finish at 20p.
Among the laggards, EnQuest slipped 5% to 115.2p, Wood Group eased 4.1% to 672.8p and Petrofac lost 3.9% to end the day at £14.86.
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