London shares plunged today after tech stocks took a battering.

The Footsie index of 100 leading shares has plunged 84.8 points as a series of warnings from technology groups in North America led to a sell-off in the sector. The index now stands at 6113.1.

Technology and telecom stocks are suffering a bloodbath as investors on the London Stock Exchange react to a raft of bad news overnight from across the Atlantic.

Italian group De'Longhi is to buy UK-based food blender-to-kettles firm Kenwood Appliances in a £45.9 million deal.