BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks are turning in a mixed performance in cautious trade on Tuesday with investors reacting to some earnings updates, and assessing the possible move of the U.S. and the European Union in the event of the ongoing trade negotiations failing to result in any meaningful solution to the tariff issues.
The European Union is reportedly preparing to respond with a suite of retaliatory measures under its Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) following U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose a 30 percent tariff on EU goods from 1 August.
The benchmark FTSE 100, moving between 8,987.18 and 9,024.06, was down 6.43 points or 0.07% at 9,006.56 a few minutes past noon.
Compass Group is gaining 5.8%, lifted by an upward revision in the company;s revenue growth forecast. The company has also announced that it has acquired Dutch firm Vermaat for 1.5 billion euros.
Centrica is up 4% after the company confirmed a 15% stake in the Sizewell C nuclear project. The deal is expected to boost Centrica's earnings.
Glencore, Entain, SSE and Rentokil Initial are up 2.2 to 2.5%.
British American Tobacco, United Utilities, Vodafone Group, Severn Trent and Rio Tinto are among the other notable gainers.
Spirax Group is down by about 3.1%. Barratt Redrow, Croda International, EasyJet, JD Sports Fashion, Legal & General, Ashtead Group, Babcock International, Taylor Wimpey, Intertek Group and Next are down 1.2 to 2.5%.
In economic news, the UK budget deficit widened sharply in June, data from the Office for National Statistics showed.
Public sector net borrowing rose by GBP 6.6 billion from the previous year to GBP 20.7 billion in June. This was bigger than the GBP 17.1 billion shortfall forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility. Moreover, it was the second-highest borrowing in any June since monthly records began in 1993.
In the financial year to June, borrowing totaled GBP 57.8 billion, which was GBP 7.5 billion more than in the same three-month period of 2024.
At the end of June 2025, public sector net debt excluding public sector banks was provisionally estimated at 96.3% of gross domestic product.
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