BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks were little changed in cautious trade on Tuesday amid reports that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will travel to Brussels this week to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a last ditch effort to salvage Brexit talks.
According to media reports, significant differences remain over fishing rights, rules for fair trade and an enforcement mechanism for regulatory standards.
In economic releases, U.K. retail sales increased in November despite the national lockdown, the British Retail Consortium reported.
Like-for-like retail sales grew 7.7 percent on a yearly basis in November driven by food and grocery sales.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive at BRC, said the disparity between online and in-store non-food sales widened, with the highest online penetration rate since May.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was marginally lower at 6,553 after inching up 0.1 percent on Monday.
Mining company KAZ Minerals dropped 1.4 percent. The company said its full year copper and gold production would be at the top end of their respective guidance ranges of 280-300 kt and 180-200 koz.
Ashtead Group rallied 3.5 percent. The industrial equipment rental company raised its full-year outlook after posting better-than-expected half-year results.
Euromoney Institutional Investor, a B2B information services provider, rose about 1 percent after it announced the acquisition of WealthEngine, Inc. for $14.5 million.
Plumbing and heating parts distributor Ferguson advanced 1.3 percent after reporting a 12 percent rise in first-quarter profit.
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