The FTSE 100 fell nearly 1% on Friday, marking its worst day since April, as renewed worries over US credit markets triggered a global selloff in equities. Losses at two US regional banks linked to loan fraud raised fears of broader financial stress, unsettling investors worldwide. Barclays fell more than 5%, HSBC Holdings and Natwest dropped 2.8%, and Lloyds Banking went down 1.9%. Still, sentiment improved slightly later in the session after positive trade developments helped US stocks recover and caused gold and silver prices to drop. Precious metals miners led declines, with Fresnillo, the index’s top performer this year, down 11%, and Endeavour Mining off 6%. On the upside, Man Group and Pearson gained after upbeat reports, with Pearson rising 2.5% on stronger third-quarter sales and promising progress in its AI learning tools. Meanwhile, Bank of England Chief Economist Huw Pill cautioned against cutting interest rates too soon.