Leading shares have ended the day lower, with fresh worries about the UK housing market overshadowing boosts from takeover speculation.
The FTSE 100 has closed 28.8 points lower at 6058.5.
Barratt Developments, which has seen its order book fall by half a billion pounds, fell 4% to 211p after Citigroup placed 7m of its shares, traders said.
Shares in rival housebuilders also fell. Persimmon, which last month halted work on new sites, lost 5p to 509.5p.
Imperial Tobacco led the top fallers, down 64p, or 3%, to £20.65p after weekend reports that the UK health secretary will publish a report in the coming days with the purpose of limiting the marketing of tobacco.
SAB Miller was today's big winner, ending nearly 7% higher at £13.09p, lifted by weekend reports that said rival Belgian brewer InBev was eyeing the company.
