The FTSE 100 Index fell 32.2 points to 5,743.5 today, with miners among the biggest fallers after fears about growth in China depressed commodity prices.
Rio Tinto fell 88.5p to 2773.5p, while Anglo American was off 49.5p at £18.16.
Commodities trader Glencore International was the Footsie’s biggest faller, with a drop of 15.5p to 368.5p after a report suggested a Norwegian sovereign wealth fund had opposed its proposed £18billion takeover of miner Xstrata.
The speculation piled extra pressure on Glencore after Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund also demanded improved terms and threatened to vote against the deal.
Meanwhile, retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S) continued to ease back after last week’s excitement surrounding rumours of an £8billion bid from CVC Capital Partners.
With a mixed reception also from analysts to a new store in Ellesmere Port, M&S shares fell 3.2p to 359.6p.
Scottish utility SSE was among the biggest risers in the top flight after broker Bank of America Merrill Lynch upgraded the stock to buy from neutral in the wake of its recent domestic tariff increase. Shares were 15p higher at £13.72, while Scottish Gas owner Centrica was up by 1.9p at 329.5p.
In a quiet session for corporate news, outsourcing firm Serco posted an 8% rise in half-year profits to £120.5million but shares were held back by ongoing concerns over the impact of challenging conditions in the US. The stock rose 3.5p to £5.66.
Elsewhere, marketing and communications group Chime Communications rose 1.3p to 198.8p after it posted a 47% rise in underlying interim pre-tax profits to £10.9million.
David Barclay, of investment manager and financial planning specialist Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen, noted Xcite Energy up 18.01% to 109.625p and Hunting gaining 1.1% to £7.80.
Weir Group slid 2.79% to £16.35 and A.G. Barr softened 1.6% to £4.28.