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FTSE 100 down 0.2%, FTSE 250 falls 0.1%

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Oil and gas stocks lead sectoral losses

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Shell drops after trimming second-quarter forecast

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Curry falls on RBC rating downgrade

(Updates with market closing prices)

July 7 (Reuters) -

Britain's main stock indexes ended lower on Monday as

investors parsed through a bunch of corporate updates and

focussed on developments around U.S. tariff policy.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 dipped 0.2%, while the

domestically oriented FTSE 250 slipped 0.1%.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Washington

was close to finalising several trade agreements and would

notify the countries of higher tariff rates by July 9, with the

tariffs to go into effect on August 1.

UK midcap stocks came under pressure last week after

British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves appeared in tears in

parliament following a series of costly U-turns on welfare

reforms, raising concerns about the government's ability to cut

spending, and about party control.

While markets have recovered since, uncertainty around

U.S. tariffs continued to weigh on sentiment.

Oil and gas stocks dropped 2.6%, leading

losses among the main UK sectors.

Shell dipped 2.9% after the energy giant forecast

quarterly earnings would be hit by weaker trading in its

integrated gas division and losses at its chemicals and products

operations, ahead of second-quarter results due on July 31.

Peer BP was down 2% despite gains in crude prices.

Currys ( DSITF ) fell 5%, leading losses in the midcap

index, after RBC downgraded the electrical retailer to "sector

perform", saying its outlook will remain sensitive to

macro-economic risks.

Ukraine-focussed miner Ferrexpo ( FEEXF ) slid 1.5% after it

reported a 40% slump in its second-quarter iron ore production.