The FTSE 100 Index closed 25.4 points lower at 5,868.2 today.
It was dragged further away from Friday’s six-month high amid concerns over Spain’s reluctance to request help from European rescue funds, a necessary condition of a bond-buying programme outlined earlier this month by the European Central Bank.
Royal Bank of Scotland’s recent improvement continued to fade as the group fell for a second successive session, off 7.3p to 267.1p, while Lloyds Banking Group fell 2%, or 1p to 38.9p.
Insurer Aviva was the biggest FTSE 100 faller, down 14.3p to 344.9p, after Bank of America Merrill Lynch said the shares looked to have run their course following a decent performance since July. Rival Prudential was also lower, down 19.5p to 821.5p.
Debenhams’ shares were flat at 99.5p after it surprised City analysts with a 3.7% year-on-year rise in underlying sales, while JD Sports Fashion was 13p lower at 718.5p after it reported a big fall in half-year profits.
Housebuilder and construction firm Galliford Try cheered shareholders as it kept a promise made three years ago to deliver full-year profits of more than £60million. Shares jumped 18p to £6.90.
The Footsie’s biggets risers included British American Tobacco up 89p to £32.43, United Utilities ahead 19p at 707.5p, Diageo up 34.5p to £17.18 and Imperial Tobacco 44p higher at 2362p.
Among the bigger fallers, GKN was off 8.6p to 228.3p, Icap fell 12.2p to 338.1p and IMI shed 30.5p to 931.5p.
Stuart Lamont, of investment manager and financial planning specialist Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen, noted STV Group advancing 2.4% to 90p, Parkmead Group 2.1% higher at 10.5p and Goals Soccer Centres 0.8% ahead at £1.24.
There was a further fall in FirstGroup’s share price, with the stock closing off 3.4% at 245.35p, and BP gave up 2.8% to 438.95p.