Leisure-focused stocks were trading down in London as prime minister Boris Johnson unveiled new restrictions to combat the spread of Covid-19.
The most severe measures, affecting Merseyside, will see pubs and bars closed, as well as gyms, bookmakers and casinos.
In the FTSE 100, which closed down 0.25% at 6,001 points, one of the sharpest falls was suffered by Whitbread. The hotel and restaurant owner, already working through a consultation that could see 6,000 jobs lost, saw shares fall by 3.75% to 2,313p.
In the FTSE 250, which ended the day up 0.5% at 18,167, pub owner Mitchells & Butlers dropped by almost 4.5% to 140.8p.
Outside of the exchange’s largest companies, shares in Restaurant Group, which owns chains including Wagamama and Frankie & Benny’s, slumped by more than 9% to 49%.
Away from leisure stocks, today was the first of trading for Home REIT, an investor in accommodation for the homeless. The company’s shares closed flat at 100p.
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