BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks succumbed to heavy selling pressure on Wednesday, tracking weak Asian markets as weak manufacturing data from China added to investor concerns over slowing global growth.
U.S. stock-index futures also extended declines on the first trading day of the year as the government shutdown entered its 12th day with no signs of a workable plan.
Closer home, the benchmark FTSE 100 was down 103 points or 1.53 percent at 6,625 in opening deals after closing 0.1 percent lower in an abbreviated trading session on Monday.
Resource stocks paced the declines, with miners Anglo American, Antofagasta and Glencore tumbling 4-5 percent.
Oil giant BP Plc fell over 1 percent and Tullow Oil lost 3.4 percent as oil prices dropped more than 1 percent on growth worries and concerns over surging output in the U.S. and Russia.
Hammerson gave up 2.9 percent. The real estate firm said that its financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2018 is anticipated to be in line with market expectations.
Upstream oil and gas exploration and production company Ophir Energy jumped more than 33 percent after confirming talks with a potential new owner.
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