BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks drifted lower on Monday as investors exercised caution ahead of more U.S. earnings and key central bank meetings due this week in Europe, Canada and Japan.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 16 points, or 0.21 percent, at 7,658 after rising 0.9 percent on Friday.
Drug major AstraZeneca dropped 0.3 percent. The company announced that its Imfinzi (durvalumab) and tremelimumab, an anti-CTLA4 antibody and potential new medicine, have both been granted Orphan Drug Designation in the United States.
The approval is for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common type of liver cancer.
Anglo American edged down slightly. The mining giant said it had reached an agreement to buy fertilizer company Sirius Minerals Plc (SXX.L) for 5.50 pence per share in cash, valuing the company at 404.9 million pounds.
Oil & gas exploration company Tullow Oil rose about 1 percent as oil prices rose over 1 percent after two large crude production bases in Libya began shutting down amid a military blockade, potentially reducing national output to a fraction of its normal level.
Shopping centre operator Intu Properties slumped 6.6 percent. The company said it was targeting an equity raise by the end of February to tackle debt.
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