European Stocks Slump the Most in Four Months on Nuclear Concern

European stocks slumped the most in four months as concern grew that a Japanese nuclear power plant damaged by last week’s earthquake will leak radiation.

Carmakers and chemical shares led losses on the Stoxx Europe 600 Index as all 19 industry groups lost at least 1.5 percent. Utilities E.ON AG and RWE AG sank more than 2 percent, while renewable-energy companies rallied as Germany said it will halt its seven oldest nuclear reactors as part of a safety review. BHP Billiton Ltd. led a selloff in basic-resource shares as metal prices retreated.