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The FTSE 100 was up 0.4% to 7,149.54, by the close, substantially below its highs for the day. This followed a fall in oil prices with producers' cartel OPEC primed to increase output.
In the US the S&P 500 nudged 0.1% higher to 4,528.20 by 4.30pm UK time.
Book and convenience retailer WH Smith fell 6.6% to £15.24 as it said it expected to post a slight annual earnings beat in 2021, but warned that profits would be at the lower end of expectations for the 2022 financial year.
Online gambling group 888 booked a 14% rise in first-half profit and guided for a 'slight' annual earnings beat driving the shares 0.8% higher to 411p.
Defence contractor Babcock International said it had sold its oil and gas aviation business to CHC for £10 million, prompting a 1% advance to 366.6p.
The business provided offshore oil and gas crew transportation services in the UK, Denmark and Australia.
IT group Kainos dipped 0.4% to £19.54 as it said it expected its annual revenue to beat current market expectations, though its profit would still be in line with forecasts amid an increase in its headcount.
In a trading update for the year through March 2022, the company said trading in the period since 1 April 'continued to be resilient' across its two businesses: digital services and workday practice.
Russia-focused gold miner Petropavlovsk gained 1% to 21.2p as it swung to a first-half profit, though its underlying performance weakened owing to a drop in production volumes.
Net profit for the six months through June amounted to $48.9 million, compared to year-on-year losses of $22.0 million that included some one-off, non-cash items.
Aviation services group John Menzies was flat at 324.3p as it swung to a modest first-half profit, citing cost cutting and a gradual improvement in demand amid what is still a challenging time for the transport sector.
Pre-tax profit for the six months through June amounted to £4.7 million, compared to a year-on-year loss of £80.1 million, as revenue slipped 3.6% to £415.8 million.
Accommodation provider PPHE Hotel was flat at £15.20 as it posted a deeper first-half loss as the pandemic continued to hurt the tourism sector.
Pre-tax losses for the six months through June amounted to £50.3 million, compared to year-on-year losses of £40.7 million.
Travel location food outlet group SSP gained 1.8% to 277.5p as it said it had appointed chief financial officer Jonathan Davies as its deputy chief executive.
Davies would still be CFO alongside his new role.
'Following the recent announcement that Simon Smith will step down from his role as CEO at the end of the year, the process to identify his successor is progressing well,' SSP said.