FTSE plunges 2.2% on global fears; BP sell-off

At 10.08 am BST, the index was down 2.23% or 115.95 points to 5,072.48 as slowing Chinese factory output fuelled pessimism over global economic recovery. The European Central Bank also added to the gloom as it warned eurozone lenders face another wave of potential writedowns. BP sank 12.42% to 433.35p after its latest failure to control its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Royal Dutch Shell was also a big loser, its A shares down 2.03% to £17.86, while the B shares dropped 1.91% to £17.18. Prudential was the day's biggest winner on news its attempts to renegotiate the AIA hav...