LONDON MARKETS: FTSE 100 Falls For Third Session Amid Global Selloff

By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. stocks on Thursday dropped, moving alongside a selloff in global markets, with shares of London Stock Exchange Group PLC pushed to the bottom of the FTSE 100.

The FTSE 100 benchmark fell 0.7% to 6,945.42, heading toward a third session of losses. Equities in the broader European market fell as well, following sharp declines overnight on Wall Street.

Shares of London Stock Exchange Group were shoved 1.8% lower after the company's biggest shareholder, Borse Dubai, sold its entire 17.4% stake in the exchange operator.

Only the basic materials and energy sectors were advancing. Oil stocks were pushed higher as oil prices (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-prices-surge-as-saudi-strikes-in-yemen-trigger-supply-worries-2015-03-26)(CLK5) jumped 5% after reports of Saudi Arabian airstrikes in Yemen spurred concerns of supply disruptions. Oil producer BG Group PLC gained 2.7%, and BP PLC rose 2.1%.

At 9:30 a.m. in London, investors will receive the U.K.'s retail-sales report for February. The pound (GBPUSD) was buying $1.4951.

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