BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks fell on Thursday and the pound traded in a narrow range against its peers after the latest round of Brexit negotiations ended without a breakthrough.
EU officials have reportedly given the U.K. government 48 hours to table fresh concrete proposals to change the backstop in order to break the Brexit deadlock.
Meanwhile, U.K. house price inflation accelerated more-than-expected in February to its highest level in six months, figures from the Lloyds Bank subsidiary Halifax and IHS Markit showed today.
The house price index rose 2.8 percent year-on-year following a 0.8 percent increase in January. Economists had forecast 1 percent growth in house prices. In December, house price inflation was 1.3 percent.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 29 points or 0.40 percent at 7,167 in opening deals after rising 0.2 percent the previous day.
Miners Anglo American, Antofagasta and Glencore fell over 1 percent as investors awaited more clarity on U.S.-China trade talks.
Satellite operator Inmarsat jumped 2.7 percent after affirming its medium-term outlook.
Event manager and publisher Informa climbed 2.4 percent after reporting a rise in FY18 pre-tax profit and lifting dividend.
Car insurance provider Admiral Group slumped 4.3 percent as it warned of economic disruption from a hard Brexit.
Turnaround specialist Melrose Industries rallied 3.2 percent after its full-year adjusted pretax profit nearly tripled.
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