GRAHAM HISCOTT Global crises cause chaos Markets plummet as tensions flare

AROUND £500billion was wiped off global stock markets yesterday amid a cocktail of toxic tensions.

Concerns about a slowdown in China’s powerhouse economy, also hit by a trade war with the US, combined with worries about Italy’s finances sent shares down sharply. There are also concerns about the situation in oil-rich Saudi Arabia, under pressure over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Here, a CBI survey of manufacturers found optimism has tumbled at the fastest pace since the UK’S vote to leave the European Union in 2016.

More than £22bn was wiped off the FTSE 100 after it dived 87 points to a seven-month low of 6955.2, which is 10% below its May peak. The FTSE All World Index, which takes in most global markets, was down 1.5%.

Fiona Cincotta, senior market analyst at City Index, said sell-off in European markets was followed by a “bloodbath” in early US trading. Others said fears over Brexit and trade tensions were “exacerbating already skittish global sentiment”.

Samuel Tombs, of Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the FTSE 100 was on track for its worst month for six years.

But he added: “Since the foundation of the FTSE 100 in

1984, prices have fallen by more than 10% in the space of 12 months on eight occasions, but the economy has entered only two recessions. Those recession as were driven much more by declines in bank lending than falls in equity prices.”

The CBI survey found spending by manufacturers on new plant and machinery is set for its biggest fall since July 2009.

It also highlighted growing concerns that Brexit could fuel a skills shortage.

Harry Potter continues to conjure up magic for publisher Bloomsbury.The 20th anniversary of JK Rowling’s first episode helped lift sales of the boy wizard’s adventures by 5% in the six months to September.Excluding this, children’s book sales were down 9%.But total half-year revenue rose 4% to £75million, with profit up 13% to £2.9m.Bloomsbury has lined up a raft of new titles, including from top chef Tom Kerridge.