FTSE tumbles as US Fed considers turning off the tap

clock

The FTSE 100 tumbled nearly 2% in morning trading after the US Federal Reserve spooked markets yesterday by warning it may slow its asset purchase programme.

London's blue chip index pulled back from five-year highs, falling as much as 118 points to 6,277 points. The index stood down 1.7% at 6,289 shortly after midday. Miners were the main drag on the index as investors sold the highly cyclical stocks, with Kazakhmys, BHP Billiton and Xstrata all off between 4.4% and 3.3%. The drop comes after the FTSE 100 hit a new multi-year peak yesterday above 6,400. Markets were spooked after the release of minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting, published overnight, showed the Fed may slow or halt its asset purchases before employment pic...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Economics / Markets

News editor's view: Burnham's Britain arrives

News editor's view: Burnham's Britain arrives

The news editor's Friday Night Takeaway from 24 July

Isabel Baxter
clock 24 July 2026 • 3 min read
UK inflation drops to 2.6% to bring 'fleeting' relief as fuel prices fall

UK inflation drops to 2.6% to bring 'fleeting' relief as fuel prices fall

BoE rate hike priced in for 2026

Michael Nelson
clock 22 July 2026 • 2 min read
Andy Burnham to launch ten-year plan for UK

Andy Burnham to launch ten-year plan for UK

Cost of living measures to be set out

Jaskeet Briah
clock 20 July 2026 • 3 min read