Britain's benchmark stock index, the FTSE 100, was down 4.62 percent in the first 15 minutes of trading Monday, following a slide in Asian markets.
The FTSE fell 230.2 to 4,750.05. The worst declines were in the banking industry _ HBOS PLC's share price dropped 12.7 percent to 175 pence (US$3.08), while the Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC fell 10.8 percent to 166 pence (US$2.92).
