NEW YORK: U.K. stocks were little changed as a rise in commodity shares offset a drop in banks.
BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group, the world’s biggest miners, rose at least 2.2 percent as copper climbed. Smiths Group Plc jumped 5.9 percent after people familiar with the matter said ValueAct Capital Management bought a stake in it. Barclays Plc and Lloyds Banking Group Plc fell 1.1 percent or more, pacing losses among lenders. Travis Perkins Plc slid 3.2 percent after posting worse-than-estimated profit.
The FTSE 100 Index lost less than 0.1 percent to 6,684.26 at 11:19 a.m. in London. The benchmark gauge posted its best monthly gain in three in July. The broader FTSE All-Share Index and Ireland’s ISEQ Index were also little changed.
