FTSE 100 index closes 1.1% lower as the AI sell-off reaches London

What happened. The FTSE 100 closed Friday 1.1% lower, the Telegraph reports. At its worst it was down 2.4%. Reuters had it down 2.2% at 10,540.78 points at 11:43 GMT, on track for its worst session since mid-March. A recovery in the late afternoon cut the loss. Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust rose 2.3% and Coca-Cola's bottle supplier rose 2.2%.

Why. On Thursday US tech shares sold off. Reuters says the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq had their sharpest one-day falls since April 2025. The reason given is that Democrats won the US House and Senate this week, and investors worry about AI regulation, slower data-centre building and big tech firms tightening spending. Reuters also points to fears that the huge AI spending will not bring enough return.

Who moved. At midday BT was the worst performer in the FTSE 100, down 5.2%, as AI worries raised doubts about its cost-saving programme. RELX fell more than 4% and Sage more than 3%. At the close the biggest fallers were Airtel Africa, down 4.2%, and Admiral Group, down 3.1%. At 11:43 GMT Reuters also saw defensive sectors such as pharma and personal care down around 3.5% each, energy shares down 2.5% as oil slipped, and precious metal miners up 1.2%.

Europe and sterling. Germany's Dax fell 1.9% after an all-time high on Thursday. The Stoxx Europe 600 fell 1.1% on Friday but still gained 0.2% for the week. Around midday sterling was down 0.3% against the dollar at $1.34, even though the Bank of England raised interest rates on Thursday.

Washington. Reuters reports that the Trump administration cancelled a Friday meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, an outside panel that includes Nvidia chief Jensen Huang and Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, an Energy Department spokesperson said. The White House did not immediately say why. We report this as a fact and draw no conclusion from it.

What we do not know. Wall Street rebounded on Friday, with the Nasdaq Composite up 1.77%, but nobody knows if that lasts. We do not forecast where the index goes next.

Confirmed facts

• The FTSE 100 closed Friday, November 6, 2026, 1.1% lower, after falling as much as 2.4%.^[1]
• At 11:43 GMT the FTSE 100 was down 2.2% at 10,540.78 points, on track for its worst session since mid-March.^[2]
• The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq had their sharpest one-day falls since April 2025 on Thursday.^[2]
• Reuters links the sell-off to Democrats winning the US House and Senate and to concerns about AI regulation, slower data-centre building and tighter spending by hyperscalers.^[2][3]
• Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust rose 2.3% and Coca-Cola's bottle supplier rose 2.2% late in the session.^[1]
• The biggest fallers at the close included Airtel Africa, down 4.2%, and Admiral Group, down 3.1%.^[1]
• At midday BT was down 5.2%, RELX more than 4% and Sage more than 3%.^[1]
• At 11:43 GMT defensive sectors such as pharma and personal care were down around 3.5% each and energy shares were down 2.5% as oil slipped; precious metal miners rose 1.2%.^[2]
• Germany's Dax 40 fell 1.9% on Friday after an all-time high on Thursday.^[1]
• The Stoxx Europe 600 fell 1.1% on Friday and gained 0.2% for the week.^[1]
• Around midday sterling was down 0.3% against the dollar at $1.34; the Bank of England raised rates on Thursday.^[1]
• The Nasdaq Composite was up 1.77% in US trading on Friday.^[1]
• The Trump administration cancelled a Friday meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, an Energy Department spokesperson said.^[3]
• The panel includes Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg; the White House did not immediately say why the meeting was postponed.^[3]

Implications

• ConfirmedThe US tech sell-off spread to London on Friday and pulled the FTSE 100 down, with software, telecom and defensive shares among the losers.
• Our readingOne day's close says little about direction: the index swung from minus 2.4% to minus 1.1% within the session. This is our view.
• Our readingIndex funds that track UK shares moved with the index. This is our view.

Still unknown

• Whether the US rebound on Friday lasts
• How London opens on Monday
• Why the White House cancelled the panel meeting and whether it will be rescheduled

Who it affects

United Kingdom, Europe, Global. People who hold UK shares or index funds, or follow global markets

Sources

1. The Telegraph: White House postpones tech boss meeting after AI crash – latest updates November 6, 2026 · media
2. Reuters (via Merced Sun-Star): FTSE 100 tumbles 2% as AI jitters spark global selloff November 6, 2026 · media
3. Reuters: Trump administration scraps meeting of high-profile tech panel November 6, 2026 · media