The FTSE 100 is projected to open with a 0.5% loss after tacking on 0.65% on Tuesday.
African Barrick Gold (LON:ABG) was the top performer in the FTSE 100, rising 6.1%.
Insurance focused investor Resolution (LON:RSL) and mining major Antofagasta (LON:ANTO) advanced 5.3% and 4.9% respectively.
Retailer Sainsbury (LON:SBRY) added 4.3%.
Natural resources group Eurasian Natural Resources (LON:ENRC) climbed 3.3%.
Essar Energy (LON:ESSR) and Unilever (LON:ULVR) tacked on 2.9%.
Interdealer broker ICAP (LON:IAP) was at the bottom of the pile with a 1.7% loss.
Temporary power provider Aggreko (LON:AGK) and power generation company International Power (LON:IPR) lost about 1.5%.
US stocks gave up most of their early gains late in yesterday’s session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 index closed flat, while the technology heavy NASDAQ composite posted a marginal gain.
Asian stocks were mixed. China’s Shanghai Composite Index declined 0.9%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 1.7% and South Korea’s KOSPI fell 0.35%, Japan’s Nikkei 225 advanced 0.9%.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.6%.
Commodities
Oil prices moved lower. US light, sweet crude for January delivery declined to US$87.78/barrel, while February crude dropped to US$88.32/barrel.
Precious metals fell sharply. Gold slipped to US$1,390/oz, while silver and platinum were at US$28.79/oz and US$1,680/oz respectively.
Base metals followed.
Copper and nickel dropped to US$3.98/lb and US$10.59/lb. Zinc fell to US$0.998/lb.
Existing home sales and mortgage applications data is due out in the US today.