FTSE 100 ends flat as Costa owner Whitbread falls
London's main share index ended barely in positive territory despite a sharp fall for Costa and Premier Inn owner Whitbread.
The FTSE 100 was 2 points higher at 7,526.5.
Whitbread was the biggest faller on the index, down nearly 4.8% after it reported slowing sales growth at its Costa coffee chain.
Like-for-like sales at Costa rose 0.6% in the six months to 31 August, while pre-tax profits at the chain slid 10%.
The news overshadowed Whitbread's near 20% rise in pre-tax profits to £316m, after a good performance from its Premier Inn hotel chain.
Antofagasta was the FTSE's biggest riser, up 2.8%, after Barclays raised its price target for the Chilean copper mining firm.
Shares in Hunting jumped 8.8% after the oil services group said revenues in the past quarter had strengthened, and it now expected full-year revenues to be about $700m (£530m).
On the currency markets, the pound slipped 0.55% against the dollar to $1.3125 and fell 0.7% against the euro to €1.1153.