London open: Stocks open flat ahead of UK inflation figures

London stocks opened flat on Tuesday ahead of the release of UK inflation data which is expected to show a pick-up in growth.

Analysts predict consumer prices rose 0.9% in July compared to a year ago, after a 0.8% gain a month ago.

While the Bank of England is targeting 2% inflation, policymaker Kristin Forbes has warned that waiting for consumer prices to reach that point could hurt economic recovery.

"Maintaining interest rates at the current low levels during an expansion risks creating distortions," she wrote in an article for the Telegraph.

"Interest rates will need to be increased well before inflation hits our 2% target. Waiting too long would risk undermining the recovery, especially if interest rates then need to be increased faster than the gradual path which we expect."

Connor Campbell, financial analyst, at Spreadex said the inflation figures are “unlikely to spark too much excitement”.

He said the BoE and analysts are expecting the figure to remain at zero for the next two months, dragged by a slump in commodities and a stronger sterling.

“Yet investors are still being cautious, and combined with the latest China-inspired declines in its oil and mining stocks the FTSE was fairly flat at the open; the pound, meanwhile, could see some movement if the CPI data surprises.”

Meanwhile, things are looking up for Greece as German Chancellor Angela Merkel is reportedly planning to urge lawmakers on Tuesday to vote in favour of a third €86bn bailout package for the .

Among companies, miners continued to slide with BHP Billiton, Anglo American, Antofagasta and Rio Tinto all in the red on the back of a drop in gold, silver and copper prices on the Comex.

Persimmon rallied after the housebuilder reported a 31% rise in first-half pre-tax profit, driven by solid revenue growth.

Cairn Energy slumped as it posted a wider loss after tax in the first half, reflecting a £177m impairment charge.

Engineer Wood Group dropped as it reported a 19.3% decline in first half revenue and slashed its costs and workforce amid the crashing oil prices.

Market Movers

techMARK 3,186.35 +0.30%

FTSE 100 6,545.16 -0.08%

FTSE 250 17,623.93 +0.09%

FTSE 100 - Risers

Shire Plc (SHP) 5,255.00p +1.84%

Persimmon (PSN) 2,143.00p +1.04%

Glencore (GLEN) 171.50p +0.88%

TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 1,189.00p +0.68%

Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 4,010.00p +0.68%

Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,199.00p +0.67%

Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI) (CCH) 1,417.00p +0.57%

3i Group (III) 530.00p +0.47%

Relx plc (REL) 1,089.00p +0.46%

Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 205.90p +0.44%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,117.00p -1.46%

Anglo American (AAL) 744.40p -1.43%

Weir Group (WEIR) 1,426.00p -1.18%

Antofagasta (ANTO) 567.00p -1.13%

Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,418.00p -1.10%

Dixons Carphone (DC.) 443.30p -1.00%

Imperial Tobacco Group (IMT) 3,248.00p -0.79%

Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 2,791.00p -0.61%

Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,483.00p -0.60%

Ashtead Group (AHT) 946.50p -0.58%

FTSE 250 - Risers

William Hill (WMH) 385.60p +2.53%

Allied Minds (ALM) 465.50p +2.20%

Zoopla Property Group (WI) (ZPLA) 270.70p +2.15%

Fisher (James) & Sons (FSJ) 1,128.00p +1.71%

Spire Healthcare Group (SPI) 398.50p +1.58%

Dunelm Group (DNLM) 900.00p +1.52%

Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group (JLT) 1,033.00p +1.47%

Just Retirement Group (JRG) 183.60p +1.44%

Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 2,296.00p +1.37%

Dechra Pharmaceuticals (DPH) 957.50p +1.32%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Fidelity China Special Situations (FCSS) 127.80p -4.91%

Lonmin (LMI) 34.63p -3.11%

Bovis Homes Group (BVS) 1,131.00p -2.75%

Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 146.50p -2.27%

Cairn Energy (CNE) 151.00p -2.20%

Ophir Energy (OPHR) 95.90p -2.09%

Wood Group (John) (WG.) 568.00p -1.98%

Tullow Oil (TLW) 213.10p -1.93%

IP Group (IPO) 215.30p -1.69%

AO World (AO.) 125.00p -1.57%

FTSE TechMARK - Risers

UCW Limited (UCW) A$0.01 +8.33%

Skyepharma (SKP) 278.75p +2.11%

NCC Group (NCC) 250.00p +2.04%

Sepura (SEPU) 158.50p +1.12%

E2V Technologies (E2V) 243.00p +0.83%

KCOM Group (KCOM) 92.50p +0.27%

Consort Medical (CSRT) 943.00p +0.11%

Oxford Instruments (OXIG) 914.50p +0.05%

IShares Euro Gov Bond 7-10YR UCITS ETF (IEGM) € 201.79 +0.05%

FTSE TechMARK - Fallers

Oxford Biomedica (OXB) 7.90p -3.07%

Innovation Group (TIG) 34.00p -1.45%

Dialight (DIA) 544.00p -1.09%