The commodity-heavy FTSE 100 index fell 0.2% at 0705 GMT, with miners leading the losses as metals prices tumbled on demand worries. [MET/L]
The pound fell 0.5%, limiting losses for the export-heavy FTSE 100 index, but the strength of the dollar made greenback-denominated metals more expensive for buyers using other currencies.
The mid-cap index, focused on the domestic market, fell 0.5%.
Rightmove Plc fell 5.0% after the property portal announced that its chief executive, Peter Brooks-Johnson, would step down from the board and leave the company next year.
Ideagen Plc jumped 46.1% after agreeing to be taken over by private equity firm Hg Pooled Management in an all-cash deal valuing the British software company at £1.09 billion (1 .34 billion dollars).