Recession fears hit FTSE 100; GVC helps mid-caps rise

London's FTSE 100 edged lower on Thursday as worries of an imminent recession remained after a steep dive in long-term U.S. and UK government bonds yields, while a surge in gambling firms after GVC hiked its profit view helped mid-caps outperform. The FTSE 100 shed 0.2%, after hitting a more than two-month low in the previous session as 10-year bond yields fell below two-year equivalents for the first time since the financial crisis. The FTSE 250 added 0.5% by 0707 GMT.

Shares of GVC gained 4%, while peer William Hill rose 3%, after the Ladbrokes owner raised its annual core profit forecast after a better-than-expected performance in its UK retail business in the first half of the year.