Glencore fall hits mining stocks as FTSE steadies

London's main stock market index held steady on Wednesday after a run of six losing sessions triggered by worries over the U.S.-China trade dispute, although commodities trader Glencore hit an almost 3-year low after poor first-half results. Glencore's almost one-third drop in core profit, allied to lower copper prices, pulled mining firms lower. That was offset by gains in healthcare and consumer goods stocks, leaving the FTSE 100 blue-chip index largely unchanged.

The mid-cap FTSE 250 rose 0.3% by 0706 GMT, helped by a post-earnings jump in Ultra Electronic.