The FTSE 250 is having its worst day of 2017

Admittedly, it has been a good year for the FTSE 250, which has set several records as weak sterling encouraged investors.

But today is not one of those days: the index was on the way to its worst showing of 2017 in morning trading, falling 1.36 per cent to 19,702 points as investors showed their nerves ahead of the Bank of England's interest rate decision today.

The index was pushed lower by Wizz Air, which fell 6.6 per cent to 2,264p after Indigo Partners announced plans to sell its stake, while miners Hochschild, Polymetal International, Petra Diamonds, Evraz and Kaz Minerals all dropped more than four per cent.

The FTSE 100, meanwhile, dropped 0.8 per cent to 7,415 points, with Next and Marks & Spencer both among the biggest fallers after official figures published this morning showed retail sales grew at their slowest rate since 2013 in May.

That followed wage figures yesterday, which showed real wages falling at their fastest pace in almost three years, after inflation rose to a four-year high on Tuesday.

"We are seeing a broad-based but deep pullback on the FTSE 100 that looks to have room to go much further, if the mood on other global markets is anything to go by," said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG.

"DFS’ profit warning has set the cat among the pigeons, coming as it does a day after UK wage data confirmed the extent of the ongoing squeeze on consumer spending, and on the same day as the UK posted its lowest yearly retail sales growth rate for four years.

"The morning’s dismal retail sales figures highlight the problems facing the Bank of England. The economy is clearly not in the right place, while the constant background music of government negotiation has managed, for the time being, to drown out Brexit.

"But this is still the big event – and should mean that the BoE keeps policy on hold for the foreseeable future, if not much longer. The more you think about it, the more the UK seems to be facing a Japan-style future."

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