FTSE 100 dips as stronger pound, Brexit uncertainty weigh; HomeServe shines

London's FTSE 100 hovered around its five-month high on Tuesday as a stronger pound pressured exporters, while investors remained cautious about a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union.

London's FTSE 100 hovered around its five-month high on Tuesday as a stronger pound pressured exporters, while investors remained cautious about a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union. The blue-chip index dipped 0.1% as a stronger pound weighed on dollar earners such as consumer staple stocks, while the domestically-focussed mid-cap FTSE 250 added 0.2%.

A media report said Britain's chief negotiator David Frost has told Prime Minister Boris Johnson to expect a Brussels trade deal "early next week", a day after EU diplomats warned that time was fast running out for a Brexit deal. In company news, home repair services provider HomeServe Plc added 2.6% after it posted a 16% rise in first-half adjusted profit and raised its interim dividend by 7%.