BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks inched higher on Tuesday as the pound weakened and drugmaker AstraZeneca announced positive results from the landmark Phase III DAPA-HF trial.
The upside, however, remained limited as BHP shares were hit by a warning that global economic headwinds could hit demand for iron ore and copper.
Brexit jitters weighed on the pound after Prime Minister Boris Johnson reaffirmed his position that the EU would need to compromise for a Brexit deal to happen.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 21 points, or 0.29 percent, at 7,210 after gaining 1 percent the previous day.
AstraZeneca advanced 1.6 percent as it reported positive results from the Phase III DAPA-HF trial, the first heart failure outcomes trial with an SGLT2 inhibitor in patients with and without type-2 diabetes.
John Wood Group shares edged up slightly after the energy services group reported strong margin improvement and profit growth in the first half and also announced the sale of its nuclear business.
BHP fell around 1 percent after a warning about future demand.
Homebuilder Persimmon shed 0.7 percent after reporting a drop in first-half profit.
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