The FTSE 100 started the four-day week flat as investors await the key interest rate decision from the Bank of England this Thursday.
One company on the move was JD Sports. The retailer announced the acquisition of French company Groupe Courir for €520mln.
Shares in Direct Line, however, were moving lower. The insurance company reported an increase in average renewal premiums in the first three months of the year but cautioned of further claims in its motor business.
FTSE 250 paving specialists Marshalls warned on profits due to a “challenging” economic climate. The company also pointed to a reduction in housebuilding and weakness in private repair as reasons behind the worse than expected performance.
Among the small caps, Directa Plus expanded its partnership with Italian group Alfredo Grassi. To meet the contract, Grassi ordered tens of thousands of linear meters of graphene-treated lining worth more than €700,000.