FTSE 100 Live: London stocks off to a weak start on looming UK leadership challenge

FTSE 100 started on a weak note as London equities awaited a looming UK leadership challenge and the day’s central-bank signals. The index fell 6 points to about 10,394, with Admiral Group down 4.3% and Aviva down 1.7%, while Barclays slipped 1.7% and Fresnillo decreased 1.6%. Defenders Babcock International rose 1.9%, BP gained 1.2%, and BAE Systems was up 1.1%. Brent crude traded around $80 a barrel, hovering near the week’s highs after earlier declines. On the public-finance front, May borrowing reached £23.3 billion, and debt interest payments hit a record £11.7 billion for May, lifting debt to GDP to 95.1%. In politics, Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election with 54.8% of the vote.