The FTSE 100 slipped on Wednesday as investors stayed cautious ahead of further developments in Middle East peace talks. Most blue-chip names traded lower: Rolls-Royce and GSK each fell more than 2%, Rio Tinto lost 0.8%, and Shell and BAT were down around 0.7%, while AstraZeneca and BP eased about 0.5%. Burberry also shed nearly 2% after disappointing updates from luxury-sector peers added pressure to the group.
In contrast, Barratt Redrow rose about 3.8% after saying the immediate impact of the conflict was limited, though it flagged longer-term uncertainty stemming from interest rates and higher energy costs, even as it pointed to resilient demand and a healthy sales pipeline. Antofagasta edged up 0.5% after reiterating its production guidance and underscoring supportive medium-term copper fundamentals, while Entain advanced more than 4.5% amid continued takeover and acquisition interest.
