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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Shares slide as Brexit fears take hold | Shares slide as Brexit fears take hold |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Global stock markets have fallen and the pound has hit a fresh 31-year low as worries over the UK's vote to leave the EU continue to rattle markets. | Global stock markets have fallen and the pound has hit a fresh 31-year low as worries over the UK's vote to leave the EU continue to rattle markets. |
| The UK's FTSE 100 share index was down 1.6% in afternoon trade, while US stocks opened lower on Wall Street. | The UK's FTSE 100 share index was down 1.6% in afternoon trade, while US stocks opened lower on Wall Street. |
| Earlier, the pound fell to $1.2798, its lowest since 1985, before rebounding. | Earlier, the pound fell to $1.2798, its lowest since 1985, before rebounding. |
| Analysts blamed warnings from the Bank of England that Brexit risks were "crystallising" and fears about the UK commercial property market. | Analysts blamed warnings from the Bank of England that Brexit risks were "crystallising" and fears about the UK commercial property market. |
| In afternoon trade, the pound was trading at $1.2952. Sterling has dropped by about 14% against the dollar since hitting $1.50 ahead of the referendum result. | In afternoon trade, the pound was trading at $1.2952. Sterling has dropped by about 14% against the dollar since hitting $1.50 ahead of the referendum result. |
| Against the euro, the pound was down 0.5% at €1.17, having earlier hit its lowest level since 2013. | Against the euro, the pound was down 0.5% at €1.17, having earlier hit its lowest level since 2013. |
| "Pessimistic predictions for sterling are coming true," said Andrew Edwards, chief executive of ETX Capital. "The pound is the chief proxy for the post-Brexit mood in the markets." | "Pessimistic predictions for sterling are coming true," said Andrew Edwards, chief executive of ETX Capital. "The pound is the chief proxy for the post-Brexit mood in the markets." |
| Property sell-off | Property sell-off |
| In the UK. shares in supermarkets, housebuilders and banks have fallen sharply since the referendum. | In the UK. shares in supermarkets, housebuilders and banks have fallen sharply since the referendum. |
| On Wednesday, Tesco and Morrisons were two of the biggest losers, with their shares dropping 9% and 7% respectively after analysts warned of a potential price war among supermarkets. | On Wednesday, Tesco and Morrisons were two of the biggest losers, with their shares dropping 9% and 7% respectively after analysts warned of a potential price war among supermarkets. |
| Laith Khalaf, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said further discounting would squeeze supermarkets' margins at a time when the falling pound is set to make food imports more expensive. | Laith Khalaf, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said further discounting would squeeze supermarkets' margins at a time when the falling pound is set to make food imports more expensive. |
| Property-related stocks have been especially hard hit this week after several fund managers decided to stop investors withdrawing money from their UK property funds. | |
| On Wednesday, Henderson Global Investors became the fourth company to halt withdrawals from its property funds. It said it had temporarily suspended all trading in its UK Property PAIF and PAIF Feeder Fund, citing "exceptional liquidity pressures... as a result of uncertainty following the EU referendum and the recent suspension of other direct property funds". | |
| Michael Hewson of CMC Markets said: "The suspension of commercial property fund redemptions by a number of big players has precipitated a broader sell-off in the UK property sector including housebuilders and other asset managers." | |
| Among the housebuilding sector, Barratt Developments fell more than 5% while Persimmon dropped 2.5%. | |
| The FTSE 250 - which contains more UK-focused companies compared with the FTSE 100 - was down 1.2% at 15,550.84. | The FTSE 250 - which contains more UK-focused companies compared with the FTSE 100 - was down 1.2% at 15,550.84. |
| 'Buyers' remorse' | 'Buyers' remorse' |
| European stock markets were also lower, with the Paris Cac, Frankfurt Dax and Madrid Ibex indexes all dropping by about 2%. | European stock markets were also lower, with the Paris Cac, Frankfurt Dax and Madrid Ibex indexes all dropping by about 2%. |
| Investors are showing some "buyers' remorse" after last week's stock market rebound and are focusing on "weak spots of the European economy", Mr Hewson said. | Investors are showing some "buyers' remorse" after last week's stock market rebound and are focusing on "weak spots of the European economy", Mr Hewson said. |
| Europe's financial sector, in particular, is under pressure after the European Central Bank warned that Italian lender Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest bank, had dangerously high levels of bad debt. | Europe's financial sector, in particular, is under pressure after the European Central Bank warned that Italian lender Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest bank, had dangerously high levels of bad debt. |
| Shares in Deutsche Bank earlier skidded to a record low of €11.40 and Credit Suisse hit its lowest level since 1989, although Monte Paschi is up 10% to €0.29 on hopes the EU will recapitalise the lender. | Shares in Deutsche Bank earlier skidded to a record low of €11.40 and Credit Suisse hit its lowest level since 1989, although Monte Paschi is up 10% to €0.29 on hopes the EU will recapitalise the lender. |
| Earlier, Asian stock markets had closed lower, with Japan's Nikkei index down 1.9%. | Earlier, Asian stock markets had closed lower, with Japan's Nikkei index down 1.9%. |
| Flight to safety | Flight to safety |
| Government bond yields have also fallen to record lows as investors rush to put money in perceived havens. | Government bond yields have also fallen to record lows as investors rush to put money in perceived havens. |
| Yields on 10-year US, Swiss and German government bonds hit new record lows, while the return from a 20-year Japanese government bond turned negative for the first time on Wednesday. | Yields on 10-year US, Swiss and German government bonds hit new record lows, while the return from a 20-year Japanese government bond turned negative for the first time on Wednesday. |
| In the UK, the yield on 10-year gilts fell to as low as 0.731%, almost half its level on the day of the referendum vote, further underlining the hit investors are willing to take to keep their money in rock-solid government debt. | In the UK, the yield on 10-year gilts fell to as low as 0.731%, almost half its level on the day of the referendum vote, further underlining the hit investors are willing to take to keep their money in rock-solid government debt. |
| High demand pushes up bond prices, and when the price of bonds rises, their yield falls. | High demand pushes up bond prices, and when the price of bonds rises, their yield falls. |
| The price of gold touched a two-year high of $1,375.45 an ounce. Also seen as a safe haven, gold surpassed the $1,358.20 mark it reached on 24 June in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote. | The price of gold touched a two-year high of $1,375.45 an ounce. Also seen as a safe haven, gold surpassed the $1,358.20 mark it reached on 24 June in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote. |