Mining shares plunged after commodity prices fell and Rio Tinto said it was reviewing its capital expenditure plans in the light of a slowdown in Chinese metals demand.

The five biggest fallers in the FTSE 100 index on Wednesday were all mining companies, with shares in ENRC, Kazakhmys, Anglo American, Xstrata and Vedanta losing more than 17 per cent. Rio Tinto shares lost almost 17 per cent, while those of its rival and suitor BHP Billiton fell 15 per cent.