The FTSE 100 Index edged downwards through Wednesday’s session as miners and lacklustre US economic data weighed.
The Footsie pared gains to stand 9.41 points off at 6811.38, while the UK-focused FTSE 250 was nearly 97 points off at 17750 and small-cap indices were also in the red.
The afternoon’s main piece of US data, the ADP non-farm employment change figure, failed to provide investors with much guidance for either Friday’s government-released number or the likely timeline of a Fed rate hike, analysts said.
But miners were again in a hole, with Randgold Resources Ltd (LON:RRS) losing 2.6% to 7165p as the strong US dollar took its toll on the gold price.
Ipek Ozkardeskaya at London Capital Group said: “The precious metal traded below the $1310 (July support) in New York yesterday. There is a rising possibility of a further dip at $1300 / 1297.”
Taptica International (LON:TAP) was topping the ranks of all-share risers, up 21.1% at 155.01p as the mobile-focused advertising group announced revenues at a record run-rate due to higher demand.
Property services group Styles & Wood Group PLC (LON:STY) gained 17.3% to 400.15p on news of its appointment as one of four strategic partners by an unidentified major banking and financial services customer.
Xtract Resources PLC (LON:XTA) jumped 11% to 0.05p after saying improvements to a plant in Chile were now well underway and should result in improved recoveries once processing restarts.
But Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd (LON:GKP) staged a surprise recovery, rising nearly 300% to 3.6p after news of higher reserves at its Shaikan fields in Kurdistan eclipsed the announcement of an open offer linked to its restructuring.
Petroneft Resources PLC was also off 9.3% at 2.2p as the Russia-focused oil &gas explorer and producer updated on drilling and operations at its licence 61 in the Tomsk Oblast.
Back among the blue chips, the top winner was upmarket housebuilder Berkeley GroupHoldings (LON:BKG) with a 3% increase to 2673p after the Nationwide House Price Index rose 0.6% in August, taking property price annual growth to 5.6% and the average house price to £206,145.
Fellow housebuilder Persimmon PLC (LON:PSN) fell 6p ahead at 1825p.
HSBC Holdings PLC (LON:HSBA) advanced 1.38% to 565p as analysts said the global bank’s turnaround programme appeared to be bearing fruit.