FTSE 100 Slips 0.26% as Weak Earnings, Mining Losses Weigh on London Stocks

The FTSE 100 fell 0.26% to 10,724.58 on Thursday, pressured by disappointing corporate earnings, declining metals prices and Middle East geopolitical tensions that lifted crude oil. The index traded between 10,752.55 and 10,669.39 after closing at 10,752.88 on Wednesday, with only 36 of its 100 constituents gaining. London Stock Exchange Group led advancers, rising more than 6%, followed by Rentokil Initial at 5.9% and Ithaca Energy and BT Group, each up more than 2%. Fresnillo led losses, down 4.8%, while Anglo American and Antofagasta each fell more than 4% as mining sentiment weakened. The Dollar Index edged up 0.02% to 101.80, while GBP/USD slipped 0.16% to 1.3371 and GBP/JPY fell 0.74% to 210.18. U.K. ten-year bond yields eased 0.39% to 5.3631%, tracking a global softening in yields. The index has gained more than 12% over the past year.