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April 15 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 was muted on

Wednesday as declines in heavyweight financials and energy

stocks limited gains in healthcare stocks, while investors

cautiously awaited developments in the Middle East conflict.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index was flat at 10,611.03

points by 0957 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 slipped

0.1%.

* Investors assessed conflicting signals around the Iran

conflict as U.S. President Donald Trump said peace talks could

resume this week even as Washington halted Tehran's maritime

trade.

* Oil prices were little changed on Wednesday, holding below

$100 a barrel. British energy stocks inched 0.1%

lower.

* Financial stocks were the biggest drags on the FTSE 100,

with banks down 0.4% and life insurers

off 0.8%. HSBC ( HSBC ) and Prudential

shed 0.6% and 1.8%, respectively.

* On the flip side, healthcare stocks gained,

with AstraZeneca ( AZN ) up 1%.

* The personal goods sector was the biggest

percentage decliner, dragged by a 1.3% drop in Burberry ( BBRYF )

after results from peers Kering and Hermes disappointed

investors.

* Comments from Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey will

be parsed later in the day.

* Investors also turned their attention to corporate updates

and earnings to see how companies approach tackling headwinds

from the Middle East conflict.

* Antofagasta ( ANFGF ) topped the FTSE 100 with a 2.9% gain

after it said copper production was expected to rise

quarter-on-quarter through the year

* Saga climbed 10.7% after the over-50s holiday and

insurance group said it was ahead of schedule to reach its

medium-term profit targets.

* Britain's largest homebuilder Barratt Redrow ( BTDPF )

slashed its land spending and approval targets, but its shares

were 1.6% higher.

(Reporting by Purvi Agarwal in Bengaluru)