UK stock indexes remained flat on Thursday as investors awaited the European Central Bank’s interest rate decision. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index hovered around 8,328.70, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 stood at 20,969.57. Industrial metal miners were among the biggest drags, falling 1.3% due to declining metal prices.
Several stocks, including Smiths Group and Persimmon, saw declines after trading ex-dividend. Rentokil Initial, however, surged 7.8% following a strong trading update, helping to offset losses and leading the FTSE 100.
Investors are also focused on the ECB’s expected 25-basis-point rate cut and upcoming third-quarter earnings. Meanwhile, Mondi dropped 6.9% after reporting lower profits, while Entain rose 3.6% after raising its 2024 net gaming revenue outlook. Analysts noted that UK stocks could perform better with stronger earnings reports.
