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UK stocks opened sharply lower on Friday continuing a broader global market rout driven by a spread of coronavirus to dozens of countries that has triggered multiple corporate profit warnings.
At 0821, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down 152.44 points, or 2.4%, at 6.643.96.
British-Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines dropped 5.7% to 486.2p as it reported a flat annual profit and warned the coronavirus would cut flying capacity in 2020.
Budget rival Easyjet descended 3.4% to £10.725 on announcing that it would consider suspending some flights amid softening demand across European routes, including in Northern Italy.
Engineering company Rolls-Royce bucked the trend, gained 2.7% to 617p, having narrowed its annual losses, as it continued to work through a sweeping restructure plan and recover from faulty aircraft-engine issues.
British bourse operator London Stock Exchange shed 1.3% to £77.10 after it reported a fall in profit, despite an uptick in revenue that was offset by acquisition-related expenses.
Premier Inn hotel chain owner Whitbread dropped 2.5% to £39.71 as it completed the acquisition 19 hotels in Germany from Foremost Hospitality, for an undisclosed sum.
Defence and aerospace engineer Meggitt reversed 2.6% to 541.4p, despite winning a $73m contract from Bell Textron for the supply of ice protection components to the V-22 Osprey military aircraft.
Industrial chains and power transmission equipment group Renold slumped 21% to 10p on warning the coronavirus outbreak would chop £1m from its annual operating profit.
Luxury furniture group Walker Greenbank dropped 4.8% to 70p, even as it announced that its Clarke & Clarke brand was collaborating with TV personality Tess Daly on her homewares collection.