Miners are leading the markets lower as investors await next week's US Federal Reserve meeting.
Ahead of US retail sales figures later in the day, markets are betting that the central bank could begin easing its bond buying programme, given recent reasonable economic data.
Gold is on course for its worst week for two months and copper is at a five week low, in the expectation that the Fed money taps will be turned off.
So Glencore Xstrata, boosted earlier in the week by higher than expected cost savings from its merger, is down 9.05p at 334.6p while Anglo American has lost 44p to 1576.5p. Indeed seven of the top ten fallers in the leading index are mining groups.
The FTSE 100 is currently down 22.72 points to 6566.26, amid continuing nervousness about Syria as diplomatic moves to resolve the crisis continue. Mike van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets, said:
Some risk [is] being taken off the table ahead of the Fed decision next week and reports from Asia of the more hawkish Larry Summers being chosen as the next Fed Chairman over current vice chairwoman and more accommodative Janet Yellen.
Asia equities were in the red with sentiment weighed down by the prospects of tapering replacing worries over Syria (although the situation is still uncertain).
Among the risers, IMI has been lifted 15p to £14.92 after analysts at Berenberg raised their target price on the industrial group from £13 to £14.20, following a reasonable half year performance from the business. But Berenberg kept its hold rating, saying:
The stock is now up 37% year to date and valuation looks rich even on 2014 estimates, but the ongoing share buyback and the sale of the merchandising business are likely provide support for the shares in the near term.
JD Wetherspoon has dipped 6p to 729p as the pubs group reported a 6.3% rise in annual profits but said it expected lower like-for-like sales because of higher costs and taxation.
