MILAN: The UK’s top share index fell to its lowest level in around two months on Monday as worries over inflation and rising bond yields took their toll on global equity markets.
The FTSE fell 1.1 percent by 0929 GMT, while the mid-cap index declined 1.3 percent. The FTSE is down more than 4 percent year to date, partly weighed down by a continued recovery in the pound from its post-Brexit lows.
On Monday the FTSE was on track for its fifth consecutive day of losses, its longest losing streak since November, in a broad-based sell-off where only a handful of stocks were trading in positive territory.
“Equity nervousness seems to be about repricing for higher yields and tighter Fed policy and the fear that the bond market has broken out of its three-decade bull market,” said Neil Wilson, analyst at ETX Capital in London.
Asian shares fell the most in over a year on Monday as fears of resurgent inflation battered bonds toppled Wall Street from record highs and sparked speculation that central banks globally might be forced to tighten policy more aggressively.
Shares in miners Anglo American and Glencore rose 1 and 0.3 percent respectively as the sector found support in a rebound in metal prices.
Randgold rose in early trading after the African gold miner reported 2017 profit up 14 percent thanks to increased production and said it would double its annual dividend.
Its shares however succumbed to the broader weakness, turning 1 percent lower.
An outperformer was Kingfisher, which rose 1.9 percent to the top of the FTSE.
Traders said the stock was supported by hopes for an easing of competition after rival Wesfarmers wrote off British hardware chain Homebase for more than its purchase price, saying it had made a series of mistakes
Tesco fell 0.6 percent, outperforming the broader market.
Britain’s biggest retailer forecast profit for the full 2017-18 year slightly ahead of analysts’ expectations and confirmed it would pay a final dividend.
Ryanair fell more than 3 percent.
The airline posted a 12 percent rise in fourth-quarter profit but warned of possible further disruption by pilots and said it was not optimistic about average fares in European short-haul in the summer.
Financials and consumer staple stocks were the biggest weight to the FTSE, taking a combined of 26 points off the blue chip index.
Source: Brecorder.com
