(Reuters) – British stock indexes were mixed on Thursday, as positive corporate results were offset by concerns around U.S. trade policies.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 0.4% at 1100 GMT. The midcap FTSE 250 was down 0.2%.
The export-heavy blue-chip index held on to gains from Wednesday on positive Ukraine-Russia developments, and as sterling edged lower against the dollar.
However, worries about the impact of U.S. trade policy continued. Britain refrained from immediate retaliation after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports on Wednesday, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer said all options remained open.
Meanwhile, a survey showed that Britain’s housing market had its slowest month in more than a year in February as a rush by buyers to close deals ahead of the expiry of a tax break ran out of steam. Further softening was expected in the months ahead.
Homebuilder stocks were down 1.7%, leading sectoral declines.
Deliveroo hit a one-year trough, down 4.4%, after the meal delivery firm forecast its annual profit below estimates.
Halma was up 3.6%, the biggest FTSE 100 gainer, after the health and safety device maker raised its profit margin forecast.
IG Group gained 4.3%, as the online trading platform reported a 12% jump in third-quarter revenue, helped by more active client trading in volatile markets.
Ventilation products supplier Volution gained 12.7%, hitting a three-month high on an upbeat full-year forecast, keeping losses in the midcap index at check.
C&C Group lost about 18%, weighing on the FTSE 250, on a lower annual profit forecast. Trainline dropped 11.5% to a 15-month low, after the British rail ticketing company missed annual revenue estimates.
NatWest Group lost 1.3% as the UK government sold a further 89 million shares in the lender, making it no longer the company’s largest shareholder.
(Reporting by Sanchayaita Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
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