Image copyright Getty Images Global stock markets have fallen sharply as investors continue to worry about the broader economic effects of the coronavirus.
London’s FTSE 100 share index fell more than 3% and there were similar declines in other European markets.
Earlier on Friday, markets in Asia had seen big falls, with Japan’s Nikkei share index dropping by 2.7%.
On Thursday, US share markets recorded steep declines, with all three main indexes down by more than 3%.
In London, shares in travel companies saw some of the steepest falls once again. Shares in cruise operator Carnival fell 4.2% to hit its lowest price since 2012.
Other big losers in the sector included EasyJet, Tui and British Airways owner IAG, which each fell more than 4%.
The drop wipes out previous gains for the week on the FTSE 100, which includes international firms such as Shell and Unilever as well as big British brands.
Only a handful of companies on the FTSE 100 saw gains, but they included two supermarkets: Tesco and Morrisons.
Banks were another group that took a battering, as investors anticipate that interest rates might be cut in order to make borrowing cheaper for companies and consumers to keep the economy buoyant.
Oil prices also fell, declining 2% as investors worried that Russia may not agree to a cut in production that other members of the Opec oil producers’ cartel are keen to see.
The price of oil has fallen by about a quarter since the coronavirus began to spread internationally, with demand for fuel expected to decline.
Brent crude was down 2.4%, at $48.79 per barrel on Friday, while US West Texas Intermediate was 2.1% lower at $44.90 per barrel.
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