London's FTSE 100 was down for a sixth straight day and heading for a miserable end of the week.
The blue-chip index lost 43 points in early trades as worries over a global recession and US jobs numbers later today took a toll.
Gold was a gainer as investors bet that a poor non-farm payroll read might speed the rate of US interest rate cuts.
Africa-focused gold miner Endeavour topped the risers early on.
Here, house prices ticked up in August said the Halifax, rising 4.3% on an annual basis to a two-year high. Prospective homebuyers are feeling more confident said the former building society.
London-focused housebuilder Berkeley, meanwhile, reiterated its guidance for the year, adding trading had been stable in the first four months but its shares eased slightly on the update.
Rolls-Royce was another faller after European regulators ordered checks on Airbus A350s, which its engines power, following issues reported on Monday by airline Cathay Pacific.