LONDON: London's benchmark FTSE 100 index slid more than 3.0 percent early Tuesday to reach a 3.5-month low on fears about the nuclear fallout and financial cost of Japan's natural disaster, traders said.

At about 0930 GMT, the FTSE was down 3.17 percent to 5,592.30 points -- the lowest level since December 1, 2010. It soon pulled back to 5,624.57 points, down 2.61 percent compared with Monday's close.