Global markets choppy as Libya turmoil continues

Persisting unrest in Libya has dragged global markets down, with London's leading share index dropping back below the 6,000 mark reached yesterday afternoon.

The FTSE 100 was down 0.46% to 5,969.03 in early morning trading, shedding almost 28 points. The best performing stocks were Barclays, up 1.10%, HSBC, up 0.79%, Royal Bank of Scotland, up 0.52%, Scottish and Southern Energy, rising 0.41% and National Grid, up 0.36%. ARM Holdings was the biggest loser, dropping 2.81%, followed by Rexam, down 2.38%. Reckitt Benckiser Group declined 2.10%, while Resolution dropped 1.59% and Petrofac was down 1.55%. In the US, the Dow Jones plummeted 1.44% to 12,212.79 and the Nasdaq lost 2.74%, down to 2,756.42. The S&P 500 was down 2.05%, marking its...