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* FTSE 100 down 2.6%, FTSE 250 slides 1.5%
March 26 (Reuters) - London stock markets fell on Thursday
after staging a robust recovery in the past two days as
investors feared the incoming economic data will cement their
worries of a sharp economic slump as the coronavirus crisis hits
the entire world.
After posting the biggest two-day percentage gain since the
blue-chip index .FTSE was launched in 1984, it dropped 2.6% as
heavyweights such as British American Tobacco BATS.L , Ferguson
FERG.L and Prudential PRU.L traded without entitlement to
its latest dividend pay-out.
Data showed British retail sales failed to grow at all in
February, even before shops shuttered due to the lockdown. All
eyes will turn to the U.S. jobless claims report, which many
fear will be one of the worst in history. Among other stocks, aerospace engineer Senior Plc SNR.L
gained 8.7% as it took cost-cutting actions to save cash to deal
with the expected impact of the coronavirus crisis, but
suspended its 2020 outlook, scrapped dividend. Electricals retailer Dixons Carphone DC.L fell 2% after it
warned of not meeting its profit and debt outlook due to the
pandemic.