US stocks dropped sharply on Wednesday with the Dow falling nearly 300 points after minutes from the latest Federal Reserve policy meeting failed to give conclusive evidence of when the central bank might start to cut interest rates.
London markets showed mixed performance on Thursday as investors digested the latest UK services and mortgage data and a fall in jobless claims across the pond.
US stock markets finished mostly lower on Tuesday as investors took profits following the recent end-of-year rally, as cautious trading took over ahead of a busy week for economic data.
London stocks closed lower on Wednesday - the 40th anniversary of the FTSE 100's launch - as sentiment remained cautious due to increasing tensions in the Middle East.
UK stocks finished in the red but off their daily lows as markets pulled back from a seven-month high amid mixed economic data and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.