London's FTSE 100 ticked up as trading got underway, regaining some ground lost after a slump on Tuesday.
The cautious start came as official data showed the UK’s public deficit in July reached its highest for the month since 2021, climbing more than expected to £3.1 billion.
Among companies, Waitrose unveiled plans to open 100 new convenience stores over the coming five years as part of a £1 billion investment drive.
NatWest was confirmed to have lost its title as a public company following the government’s steady sell-down of its stake in the bank, which fell below 25% in June.
Whitbread’s Premier Inn faced a blow as an advert boasting £45 a night rooms was banned by regulators in the UK over misleading claims.
And construction company Costain jumped early on after unveiling a new £10 million share buyback in results showing first-half profit doubled.