LONDON, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- London stock market ended sharply lower on Wednesday after two days of gains as fears of a possible global recession returned.
The FTSE 100 index plunged 7.16 percent, or 314.62 points, to close at 4,079.59.
Mining stocks fell sharply on worries over slowing demand, with Kazakhmys down 22 percent, Anglo American down 20 percent, and Xstrata losing 19 percent.
Biggest gainer was travel firm Thomas Cook, up 1.18 percent.
Banks shares ended slightly better on a report that the British government would allow them to pay dividends under the 37 billion British pounds rescue plan. HBOS rose 0.47 percent.
