Pound sinks and shares slump after polls suggest Scotland could vote for independence

A general view at the border between Scotland and England just north of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014. Chancellor George Osborne told BBC on Sunday that the government is finalizing plans to give Scotland "much greater" fiscal and tax autonomy and will unveil the proposals in the coming days. He spoke after polls showed a tightening of the vote ahead of the landmark September 18 referendum on whether Scotland should become independent from Britain. The latest surveys show those who favor independence gaining ground despite British government warnings about possible pitfalls. (AP Photo/PA, Danny Lawson) UNITED KINGDOM OUT, NO SALES, NO ARCHIVE (The Associated Press)

LONDON – The British pound slid to a 10-month low against the dollar and shares in Scotland-based companies fell after opinion polls suggested the campaign for Scottish independence could be edging toward victory.

In trading Monday, the pound was down 1.4 percent at $1.6104, its lowest level since November. Meanwhile, shares in Scottish-based companies such as Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Life fell around 3 percent.

For months, polls have put the anti-independence side ahead, but the gap has narrowed ahead of the Sept. 18 vote. A poll released Sunday put the pro-independence side in the lead, albeit by two points. Other polls give the 'No' side a narrow lead.

The leader of the anti-independence "Better Together" campaign denied his forces were panicking as 'Yes' campaigners claimed to have the momentum.