With disappointing jobs figures from the US prompting a sell-off in global stock markets, the defensive sectors were benefitting from the risk-off environment.The US Labor Department revealed that 80,000 non-farm payrolls were added in June, less than the 100,000 expected by analysts. The jobless rate was unchanged at 8.2%."We continue to believe that higher uncertainty from events in Europe and, to a lesser degree, the potential for significant fiscal tightening in the US early next year are causing firms to postpone investment and hiring decisions," said analyst Michael Gapen from Barclays Capital.The data prompted a near 30-point fall for the FTSE 100 in afternoon trade as mining stocks extended losses on macro-economic concerns. Yesterday's surprise interest rate cut by the People's Bank of China has also scared the industry that Chinese policymakers are worried about a 'hard-landing' for the world's second-largest economy. Kazakhmys, Polymetal, Vedanta and Rio Tinto were suffering heavy losses this afternoon.With relatively 'riskier' assets out of favour, electricity stocks were the best performers with Greenko, OPG Power Ventures and SSE on the up. Telecoms and utilities sectors were also performing well.Meanwhile, the construction and materials sector was under pressure with AIM-listed hard landscaping products group Marshalls providing a drag.Marshalls' revenue for the first six months of 2012 of £167m was 5% lower than last year's first half revenue of £177m as miserable weather in the second quarter put a dampener on sales.Top performing sectors so far todayElectricity 8,911.84 +1.24%Fixed Line Telecommunications 2,527.29 +0.92%Gas, Water & Multiutilities 5,191.37 +0.77%Household Goods & Home Construction 7,114.79 +0.43%Insurance (non-life) 1,488.35 +0.40%Bottom performing sectors so far todayConstruction & Materials 3,336.95 -3.06%Personal Goods 20,029.94 -2.46%Industrial Metals & Mining 2,734.59 -2.42%Mining 17,826.79 -2.14%General Retailers 1,668.77 -1.58%BC
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