UK oil majors hit after reports of new Gulf of Mexico spill

Reports of a 'light sheen' of oil found near production sites in the Gulf of Mexico sent shares in the UK oil majors lower this morning.

Shares in Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) - which reported the 'light sheen' - and BP both topped the list of biggest fallers in the FTSE 100. RDS was down 3.8% at £21.01, while BP was off 2% at 435.4p. Both shares - which have a major weighting in the FTSE 100 - helped drag the wider market down 16.6 points to 5,618 by 10:54am. Shell said the sheen had been seen in the central portion of the Gulf of Mexico but added it has no "current indication" oil is coming from nearby wells, according to Dow Jones. It has dispatched an oil-spill response vessel to the location and has requested flight...