Rolls-Royce shares fall over nationalisation contingency plan

Investors react to reports that UK government could take over firm's nuclear submarine power arm or force it to merge with BAE Systems

Concerns are growing over the future of Rolls-Royce after it emerged the government has drawn up contingency plans to nationalise part of the power systems engineering firm if the crisis facing it worsens.

Shares in Rolls fell on Monday as investors digested reports that the government could nationalise the company's nuclear submarine business or force it to merge with defence manufacturer BAE Systems.