Market hits six-year low as war fears escalate

THE FTSE 100 Index plunged to a six-year low yesterday as Britain’s biggest companies endured another battering in the City.

Heightened fears of a war in Iraq added to gloom about the fragile health of the global economy as scores of investors dumped stocks.

At one point the Footsie was off 129.5 points at 3609.9 levels not seen since early 1996 as banks and telecoms took a pounding.