\n<\/p>\n
U.K. stocks were marginally lower on Wednesday as investors reacted to lackluster economic data from China and a higher-than-expected U.K. core inflation print.<\/p>\n
Data showed earlier today that China’s house prices continued to decline in July, in a further sign of the property slowdown.<\/p>\n
Closer home, U.K. consumer prices rose at the slowest pace in nearly one-and-a-half years in July reflecting lower energy prices, the Office for National Statistics said.<\/p>\n
Consumer price inflation slowed to 6.8 percent in July, as expected, from 7.9 percent in June. This was the weakest since March 2022, when inflation was 6.2 percent.<\/p>\n
However, core inflation remained at a high of 6.9 percent, underscoring rate hike predictions.<\/p>\n
The benchmark FTSE 100 was marginally lower at 7,384 after plunging 1.6 percent on Tuesday. <\/p>\n
Miners fell on China growth worries, with Antofagasta down 1.4 percent and Rio Tinto falling half a percent. <\/p>\n
Insurer Admiral Group soared 5.2 percent after posting a marginal rise in its first-half pre-tax profit.<\/p>\n
Likewise, Aviva rallied nearly 3 percent after reporting strong first half results with profitable growth momentum across the group. <\/p>\n
Essentra, a supplier of plastic and fiber products, fell about 1 percent after half-year revenue declined 5.5 percent year-on-year. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Market Analysis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n