(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock

markets, click or type LIVE/ in a news window)

*

FTSE 100 down 0.22%, FTSE 250 down 0.25%

*

British medical equipment shares slide on US tariffs fears

*

Petershill Partners ( PHLLF ) hits four-year high amid delisting

plan

*

Mitchells & Butler dives on weak Q4 sales growth

Sept 25 (Reuters) - London stocks edged lower on

Thursday as investors turned cautious over inflation risks and

Bank of England's interest rate outlook, while weakness in

medical equipment shares added to the drag.

The benchmark FTSE 100 fell 0.22% at 0909 GMT, while

the domestically focused FTSE 250 was down 0.25%.

BoE policymaker Megan Greene said on Wednesday that the

risks of inflation in Britain will prove stronger than the

central bank's forecast, meriting a cautious approach to further

interest rate cuts.

At its meeting this month, the BoE suggested it could slow

the pace of its rate reductions due to persistent inflation

pressures in Britain.

The country has the highest inflation rate among Group of

Seven economies, at 3.8% in August, and the BoE thinks it will

peak at 4% in September before falling back to the central

bank's 2% target in the spring of 2027.

In the market, medical equipment and services stocks

fell 2.2% after the U.S. Commerce Department said

it has opened new national security investigations into the

import of personal protective equipment, medical items,

robotics, and industrial machinery.

British medical equipment maker Convatec Group ( CNVVF ) was

the biggest decliner on the FTSE 100, falling 6.1%.

Construction and materials was also among the

top declining sub-sectors, down 1.3%, tracking losses in

European peers.

Mitchells & Butlers ( MBPFF ) fell 6.6% after the British pub

and restaurant operator reported a weak sales growth compared to

previous quarter.

Petershill Partners ( PHLLF ) jumped 33.1% after the

investment group, majority owned by Goldman Sachs, became the

latest UK-listed firm to announce plans to delist from the

London Stock Exchange, citing dissatisfaction with its share

price and valuation.

An index of industrial metal miners continued

gains from the previous session, up 1.8%, as copper struck a

fresh 15-month high on Thursday.

Rio Tinto and Anglo American were among the

top gainers in the FTSE 100, up 2.8% and 1.8%, respectively.

Across the Atlantic, at least seven Federal Reserve

officials are due to speak later on Thursday. Traders hope they

will offer greater clarity on how far and fast U.S. interest

rates will drop.