London shares muted as global COVID-19 deaths cross half a million

London shares were muted on Monday as investors feared a second round of lockdowns with global COVID-19 deaths crossing half a million, while a record plunge in British private-sector activity underlined the economic toll of the pandemic.

London shares were muted on Monday as investors feared the second round of lockdowns with global COVID-19 deaths crossing half a million, while a record plunge in British private-sector activity underlined the economic toll of the pandemic. The blue-chip FTSE 100 was up 0.1%, with slight gains in industrials, consumer discretionary and financial stocks offsetting a decline in the consumer staples sector.

The mid-cap FTSE 250 rose 0.2%, led by auto, construction, and travel and leisure stocks. Lender Morses Club fell 4% as online accounts provided by it were frozen following action by British regulators against the UK unit of collapsed payments services firm Wirecard.