The FTSE 100 fell today as hopes of a bid for Rentokil waned and investors sold British Airways stock after a downbeat broker note.
Miner Antofagasta is in demand, however, amid takeover speculation; traders said the Chilean copper miner was more likely to be bid for following the death last week of its majority owner Andronico Luksic.
But sentiment in much of the rest of the market was downbeat, leaving the FTSE 100 19.5 points lower at 5,295.9 earlier today. Oils accounted for eight points of the fall, but dealers said moves were exaggerated in a thin market.
Volume totalled just 576 million shares compared with more normal turnover of about a billion shares by midday.