FTSE sheds 1.3% to end worst quarter since 2002

The FTSE 100 has closed down 1.3% bringing its total loss for the quarter to 13.7%, its worst performance for nine years.

The index dropped 68 points today to close just shy of 5,129 points, ending a tumultous three months in which fears over slowing global growth and eurozone sovereign debt came to the fore once more. The quarterly performance is worse than the sell-offs seen over the course of 2008 and the first three months of 2009. During that period, the FTSE 100's worst quarter saw it drop 12.9% in the three months to 30 September 2008. The last time it dropped further over a quarter was in 2002, when the blue chip index shed 20% between July and September. Total trading volumes for the curre...