YouGov shares plunge after sales and profits warning

Polling company says sales bookings have been lower than anticipated since half-year figures in March

Shares in the polling company YouGov plunged by more than 40% on Thursday after the UK research and analytics company warned that sales and profits would be lower than expected this year.

The firm, which is best known for its political polling but generates most of its revenues from providing consumer data and analysis to businesses, said sales bookings had been lower than anticipated since it reported half-year figures in late March.