FTSE slightly down in lunchtime trade
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Doorstep lender Provident Financial topped the London stock market in midday trade, up by 2.2%.
Rio Tinto was among the fallers, down 2.27% after it updated the market on its performance. It said profits had almost doubled to $3.3bn for the six months to 30 June.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 0.29% in lunchtime trading at 7,402.08.
In the FTSE 250 shares in William Hill bookmaker were up 9%, despite an 11% drop in first-half pre-tax profit.
The firm, which in March named a new chief executive and a finance chief, said profit before interest and tax for the 26 weeks to 27 June fell to £109m from £122m a year earlier.
Other winners in the FTSE 100 included ITV, Paddy Power Betfair, Old Mutual and Babcock International.
Other fallers included Standard Chartered, CRH, Smurfit Kappa, and Ashtead Group.
On the currency markets, the pound was up 0.18% against the dollar at $1.3227 and 0.04% down against the euro at 1.1185 euros.
