In initial trade, the British capital's benchmark FTSE 100 index of major blue-chip companies fell 0.2 percent to stand at 7,041.93 points.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 also shed 0.2 percent to 11,695.19 points, but the Paris CAC 40 rose 0.1 percent to 5,150.23 compared with Wednesday's closing levels.