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* FTSE 100 down 0.9%, FTMC down 0.6%
* Tesco ( TSCDF ) falls on weak Q1 sales growth
* Intertek ( IKTSF ) up after agreeing EQT takeover
* BoE rate decision at 12:00 GMT
June 18 (Reuters) - Britain's main stock indexes fell on
Thursday, pressured by financials and materials as investors
awaited the Bank of England's rate decision and assessed the
Federal Reserve's hawkish policy outlook.
The BoE is widely expected to hold rates at 3.75% later this
morning, after the U.S. Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged on
Wednesday. However, nine Fed policymakers expect a rate hike
this year as inflation concerns continue to weigh on consumers.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index fell 0.94% to 10,410.01
points by 10:16 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 slipped
0.63%.
* Among financials, London Stock Exchange ( LDNXF ) fell 3.5%
after Rothschild Redburn downgraded the stock to "neutral",
while investment firm 3i Group ( TGOPF ) declined 4.3%.
* Precious metal miners led sectoral losses,
falling 5%, with Fresnillo and Hocschild Mining
down 5.8% and 7%, respectively.
* UK's biggest food retailer Tesco ( TSCDF ) slipped 2.2%
after reporting a slowdown in first-quarter sales growth.
* Rate-sensitive homebuilders shed 2.6%, with
Persimmon falling 6.4%, the worst performer on the
benchmark.
* Intertek ( IKTSF ) gained 1.5% after the testing and
certification firm agreed to a takeover by Swedish private
equity firm EQT
* The world's largest exhibition group Informa ( IFPJF ) was
the top performer on FTSE 100, rising 2.3% after forecasting
stronger growth in 2027.
* Oil giants BP and Shell declined 1.5%
each, as oil prices reached to their lowest since start of Iran
war.