Banknote printer De La Rue startled investors after announcing the departure of a top executive and cautioning that profits will be at the low end of expectations.

Shares in the main market-listed business crashed more than 20pc on news that chief financial officer Jitesh Sodha had resigned as a director with immediate effect.

Fears were compounded by a brief trading update, which revealed that De La Rue - one of whose biggest contracts is producing banknotes for the Bank of England - is downbeat about its financial performance.