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April 29 (Reuters) - UK shares drifted lower on

Wednesday as traders digested mixed earnings, before turning

their attention to global central bank policy decisions,

including the Bank of England.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index dipped 0.7% by 0950

GMT, slipping for the seventh time in eight sessions. The midcap

FTSE 250 eased 0.1%.

* AstraZeneca ( AZN ) and GSK fell 1.4% and 2.1%,

respectively, after both drugmakers stuck to their full-year

forecasts despite posting better-than-expected quarterly profit.

* Lloyds Banking Group ( LYG ) dipped 1.4% despite

reporting a better-than-expected rise in first-quarter profit.

* Earnings season is in full swing with investors cautious

of any impact stemming from the Iran war.

* Efforts to end the Iran war were at an impasse with U.S.

President Donald Trump unhappy with the latest proposal from

Tehran as he wants nuclear issues dealt with from the outset.

* The war stalemate gives way to a Federal Reserve meeting

later on Wednesday, followed by results from megacaps Alphabet

, Microsoft ( MSFT ), Meta and Amazon ( AMZN )

, which could set the tone for markets.

* With geopolitical uncertainty still high, the BoE is set

to keep interest rates unchanged on Thursday.

* Tentative hopes of a resolution to the U.S.-Iran war have

helped steady the FTSE 100, putting it on track for a marginal

April gain after the conflict drove its worst monthly slump in

six years.

* Among other moves, DCC surged 16% after the sales

and marketing services provider said it was reviewing a cash

takeover proposal from a consortium comprising U.S. investment

firms Energy Capital Partners and KKR.