UK stocks ease as market awaits Brexit deal update

London's domestically-focussed mid-cap index shed almost half of the previous session's more than 1% gain in early trade on Wednesday, with investors awaiting confirmation that a Brexit deal is really in the offing. The FTSE 250, which has rallied more than 3% since last week on hopes that Britain could clinch a timely divorce deal, shed 0.5%, with traders eyeing a crunch summit this week after last-ditch talks between London and the European Union.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 was also marginally lower, with miner Rio Tinto and housebuilder Barratt slipping respectively 2% and 2.7% on signs of weakening future revenue.