FTSE 100 set for worst month since March on virus resurgence

London stocks fell on Friday, with the FTSE 100 set for its worst monthly loss since March on fears that lockdowns to tackle surging coronavirus cases would disrupt a nascent economic recovery.

London stocks fell on Friday, with the FTSE 100 set for its worst monthly loss since March on fears that lockdowns to tackle surging coronavirus cases would disrupt a nascent economic recovery. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index lost 0.8%, dragged lower by mining, personal goods maker and aero stocks.

The domestically focussed mid-cap FTSE 250 fell 0.8%. Both the indexes fell for a fifth straight session as pressure mounted on Britain to impose a second nationwide lockdown, even as the government said it would stick with a system of local restrictions.

NatWest Group Plc jumped 3.1% to the top of the FTSE 100 index after the lender swung to a quarterly profit as it set aside a smaller-than-expected amount to deal with pandemic-driven bad loans.

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