London stocks pull back after inflation data, all focus on Fed

(Reuters) – British stock indexes retreated on Wednesday, following a broadly in line inflation report and as investors awaited a highly anticipated yet uncertain Federal Reserve policy decision later in the day.

At 0707 GMT, both the blue-chip FTSE 100 and an index of midcap stocks were down 0.2%. Both the indexes had closed at their highest since early September on Tuesday.

UK annual consumer price inflation stood at 2.2% in August, unchanged from July as forecast, data showed. However, services inflation – a figure closely watched by the Bank of England – rose to 5.6%, slightly more than forecast.

The British pound touched a session high against the dollar following the inflation data, pressuring the FTSE 100’s export-focused companies.

The data points to still-persistent inflationary pressures, with traders further trimming bets on the BoE cutting rates at its Thursday meeting, where policymakers are expected to keep rates on hold.

“Today’s (inflation) figures may at least give the MPC’s hawks some pause for thought, while also evidencing that the Bank’s continued caution, and focus on signs of underlying inflation persistence, is indeed warranted,” said Michael Brown, senior research strategist at Pepperstone.

Globally, investors remain focussed on the Federal Reserve, which is expected to ease policy later in the day though the size of the rate cut is still not clear.

Pricing for a larger-than-usual 50-basis-point rate cut has leapt to 61% from around 14% a week ago, as per CME’s FedWatch tool, even as most major brokerages still forecast a 25-bp reduction.

Reckitt Benckiser rose 2% to the top of the FTSE 100 after a media report the company has launched early discussions with potential suitors for a sale of its homecare assets.

Its gains boosted the personal care index 0.4%.

An index tracking miners lost 0.8% as metal prices eased ahead of the Fed decision.

(Reporting by Lisa Mattackal in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)