* FTSE 100 down 0.2%, FTSE 250 up 1%

* AstraZeneca ( AZN ) slumps after late-stage trial setback

* Playtech ( PYTCF ) tops midcaps on upbeat 2026 profit forecast

(Updates after markets close)

July 9 (Reuters) - The UK's FTSE 100 ended slightly lower on

Thursday as heavyweight AstraZeneca ( AZN ) dropped after reporting

disappointing results from a late-stage trial, offsetting gains

in mining and bank stocks.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index fell 0.2% to 10,472.5

points, while the midcap FTSE 250 climbed 1% to snap a

three-day losing streak.

* Pharmaceutical shares were the worst

performers, down 4.3%, led by a 6.2% drop in AstraZeneca ( AZN )

after the drugmaker's nerve disease drug Wainua, made in

partnership with U.S.-based Ionis, failed to meet the

main goal of reducing cardiovascular deaths and recurring heart

problems in a late-stage trial.

* Precious metal miners rose 4%, tracking

higher gold prices as a weaker dollar boosted bullion's appeal,

while investors continued to monitor developments in the Middle

East for clues on the inflation and interest-rate outlook.

* Industrial metal miners advanced 4.1%,

tracking higher base metal prices, while heavyweight banks

added 2.2%.

* Iranian armed forces launched attacks on U.S. military

infrastructure in Gulf states following U.S. strikes on Iran's

southern coastal and eastern provinces, putting further strain

on a three-week-old ceasefire agreement.

* Oil prices meanwhile slipped over 1%, dragging UK energy

shares down 1.5%.

* Playtech ( PYTCF ) topped the midcap index, rising 14.1%

after the gaming firm forecast 2026 adjusted core profit above

market expectations on robust growth in the U.S. and Latin

America.

* Computacenter ( CUUCF ) was among the top performers on the

benchmark, rising more than 7.2% after the IT services provider

said it expects annual results to exceed market expectations,

helped by strong demand for AI-related infrastructure from

hyperscale customers in North America and the UK.