The FTSE 100 ended the session under the 4,200 threshold, losing 0.98 per cent as mining stocks plunged.
The index closed at 4,194.91, with Lonmin, down by 8.71 per cent, leading the fall.
Xstrata was also lower, down by 7.15 per cent, while Rio Tinto dropped by 6.71 per cent.
With the market still downbeat after last week’s US unemployment figures, most stocks were in the red but a handful were still rising on the UK’s leading shares index.
Pharmaceuticals firms AstraZeneca and Shire were up by one per cent and 0.9 per cent respectively, while Standard Life was up by 0.94 per cent.
David Jones, chief market strategist for IG Index, warned any more shocks could lead to further weakness on the index.
He said: "Investors have been looking for a reason to keep on buying shares at the recent highs, following the 30 per cent bounce back from the March lows, and so far there have not been any compelling ones coming through.
"It could be another rocky few weeks ahead and it would not be surprising to see the FTSE 100 index to take a trip below 4,000 before the end of the month."
Mon, Jul 6, 2009
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