Britain’s top share index was flat, weighed down by Rio Tinto and healthcare stocks, while the midcap index hit a fresh two-month high as global equities extended gains on relief from softer-than-expected U.S. inflation data.
The FTSE 100 (.FTSE) was little changed by 0718 GMT, with Rio Tinto (RIO. L) falling 3.5% as the miner traded without entitlement to the latest dividend payout.
Drugmaker GSK (GSK. L) slid 2.1% after heavy selling in the previous session amid chatter over potential negative implication from U.S. Lawsuits over Zantac, a drug that was withdrawn in 2019. Haleon (HLN. L), a consumer health company recently spun off from GSK, dropped 4.9%.
London-listed shares of Antofagasta (ANTO.L) slipped 0.5% after the of Chilean miner reported a fall in half-year profit. read more
The domestically focussed FTSE 250 index (.FTMC) rose 0.4% as European and Asian stocks climbed.