London: The UK equity markets came under sharp selling pressure, with the FTSE 100 declining over 2% amid broad-based weakness across sectors. The fall was led by heavy losses in banking, mining and real estate stocks.
Among the top laggards, Barratt Redrow PLC dropped 8.45%, emerging as the worst performer on the index. Banking major NatWest Group PLC slipped 8%, while asset manager M&G PLC fell 7.71%, reflecting pressure in financial stocks.
Mining counters also remained under stress, with Fresnillo PLC declining 7.41% and Endeavour Mining PLC plunging 7.26% amid volatility in commodity prices. Meanwhile, Standard Chartered PLC fell nearly 7%, and Weir Group PLC lost over 6%, adding to the downside.
The broader market weakness was visible across indices, with the FTSE 250 and FTSE 350 also falling more than 2% each, indicating widespread risk-off sentiment among investors.
Analysts attribute the decline to a combination of global uncertainties, including fluctuations in commodity prices, interest rate concerns, and cautious investor sentiment amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Market participants are now closely watching upcoming macroeconomic data and central bank signals for further direction, as volatility is expected to persist in the near term.
