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FTSE100 ends sharply lower as miners continue to lose ground

FTSE ends session at four-week low on monetary tightening fears

LONDON | Wed Aug 7, 2013 5:10pm BST

(Reuters) - Britain's top share index closed at a four-week low on Wednesday on concerns the Bank of England and the U.S. Federal Reserve may start tightening monetary policy earlier than expected.

A day after two Fed officials suggested the U.S. central bank may cut the pace of bond purchases as early as next month, the Bank said it planned to keep interest rates at a record low until unemployment fell to 7 percent from 7.8 percent now, which it views as unlikely for another three years.