Fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine have pushed UK stocks lower on Monday, following losses among global peers, while oil prices at seven-year highs limited losses in heavyweight energy stocks.
The FTSE 100 was down 2.1 per cent at 12.30pm, with financial stocks weighed down heavily, while the FTSE 250 was down 2.3 per cent as industrials and consumer discretionary stocks took the biggest hit.
The FTSE 100 (featured in the charts above) took a hit today (left) along with other global stock markets but remains up over the past six months (right)
Concerns over the situation in Ukraine and the potential for the US, UK and major European powers to be dragged into conflict if an invasion occurred have added to the fears of investors who are already jittery due to high inflation – with US inflation coming in at 7.5 per cent last week.
In company news, London-listed chemicals firm Johnson Matthew has commenced the second tranche of a £200million share buyback scheme, having completed the first £100million of purchases on 28 January.
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