Despite some positive data from Europe, FTSE100 was trailing behind at the lunch time point.
The UK benchmark was down around 23 points at 6,372 at the time of writing.
Investors also continue to mull general global growth fears and there is still plenty of uncertainty about a US Fed interest rate rise.
Eurozone joblessness fell to 10.8% in September from 10.9% the previous month, while inflation remains well below the ECB target of just below 2%. But that did little to raise the gloom.
The biggest gainer was commodities titan Glencore (LON:GLEN) as it eases its way out of the pit. Shares were up 2.53% to 113.6p.
Meggitt (LON:MGGT) was also a gainer as the UK engineering firm gained 1.84% to 352.8p, supported by an upgrade from JP Morgan Cazenove, which went to 'neutral' from 'underweight' on the shares.
Yesterday, it warned that annual profit would be below forecasts and that it would cut about 300 jobs.
The broker noted that Meggitt does have "some attractive niches and above-average margins", offset by the broker's concerns over current headwinds and accounting.
Elsewhere, British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines (LON:IAG) reported solid third quarter figures but was still Footsie's biggest laggard, down 3.43% to 577p.
Pre-tax profit rose 48% to £792mn in the last three months compared to the same period the year before, while the group confirmed yesterday that it will pay out 25% of its full-year after tax profits in dividends.
It has not paid a dividend since the new company was created in 2011 by the merger of BA and Iberia.
Analysts had been expecting strong results from the airline group.
Meanwhile, heavy restructuring costs pushed Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) into a loss in its latest quarter as the taxpayer-owned bank continued the run of disappointing updates from the UK’s big banks. Shares eased 1.22% to 316.8p.
Barclays (LON:BARC) and Lloyds (LON:LLOY) had already underwhelmed this week and RBS matched its rivals with an operating loss of £134mln which became a profit of £2mln after a debt adjustment.
Barclays also eased 1.26% to 234.25p. Lloyds trailed a tad, down 0.51% at 73.84p.
Speciality pharma group Vectura (LON:VEC) announced it has received a €750,000mln payment after reaching a development milestone for the VR632 asthma therapy inhaler. The airways-related disease expert will also receive sales royalties from the product. Shares climbed 7.75% to 176.6p.
In the small cap arena, a major global logistics group has agreed a long term supply deal with Servision (LON:SEV), which will install its pioneering CCTV security system in its vehicles.
Servision's UK subsidiary will now fit out a fleet of 101 vehicles of the unnamed group in the UK with its video equipment, ancillary products and components. Shares were up over 9% to 3p a pop.
Elsewhere, Clear Leisure (LON:CLP) has entered into a £200,000 loan agreement with Eufingest S.A, a Swiss investor and major shareholder in the company. Shares surged 16.67% to 0.7p.
Audioboom (LON:BOOM), the digital audio group, added 14.71% on the day to stand at 4.88p each.