FTSE 100 Falls as Mining Stocks Decline; FTSE 250 Pulls Back

The FTSE 100 fell on Thursday as weakness in mining stocks dragged the index lower, while the FTSE 250 eased back after breaking out of its recent consolidation range.

The mid-cap index is down about 0.1% on the day. European sentiment was also softer, with the CAC 40 down 0.5% and the DAX falling 0.6%.

Mining stocks led the blue-chip index declines after Rio Tinto dropped more than 3% following its latest results. The miner reported flat underlying earnings of $10.9 billion for 2025, prompting a broad pullback in the sector. Anglo American fell 1.9%, Glencore slipped 2.1% and Antofagasta dropped 2.9%.

Centrica was the biggest FTSE 100 faller, sliding more than 8% after the British Gas owner said it would halt share buybacks. The company reported a 39% drop in full-year 2025 profits, adding that market conditions remained challenging.

Mondi topped the blue-chip leaderboard, gaining 3.3%. Its rise came despite the group cutting its dividend after a 29% fall in 2025 profits, citing continued pressure from weaker paper prices in the first quarter amid an ongoing cyclical downturn.

In the FTSE 250, Trainline led the risers with a gain of 2.5%, followed by Harbour Energy at 2.2%. On the downside, Pan African Resources dropped 4.4%, while Wizz Air declined 3.1%.