Stock market sentiment has taken a hammering after Fitch removed its top-notch rating on US debt.
The agency’s downgrade to AA+ in the wake of Washington’s latest debt ceiling standoff cast a cloud over Asia shares as well as the FTSE 100 index, which shed 140 points at one point, and cllosed down by 1.36%.
Shares in BAE Systems and Taylor Wimpey weathered the storm after posting well-received half-year figures.