Melrose, healthcare stocks lift FTSE 100; ex-dividend trades cap gains

London's FTSE 100 edged higher on Thursday, helped by healthcare stocks and Melrose Industries, although gains were capped by ex-dividend trading and losses in Unilever shares. The blue-chip index rose 0.1%, with Melrose gaining 4% to the top of FTSE 100 after the engineering firm swung to a first-half profit. Drugmaker AstraZeneca rose 0.1%, providing the biggest boost to the index.

London's FTSE 100 edged higher on Thursday, helped by healthcare stocks and Melrose Industries, although gains were capped by ex-dividend trading and losses in Unilever shares. The blue-chip index rose 0.1%, with Melrose gaining 4% to the top of FTSE 100 after the engineering firm swung to a first-half profit.

Drugmaker AstraZeneca rose 0.1%, providing the biggest boost to the index. Global miner BHP Group dropped 5.2% to the bottom of FTSE 100, while motor insurer Admiral Group shed 2.3% as it traded ex-dividend.

Unilever Plc slipped 1.8% after JP Morgan downgraded the Dove soap maker's stock to "underweight" from "neutral". The domestically focussed mid-cap index inched 0.2% lower after closing at a record high in the previous session.