PARAGON BANKING: Paragon Banking Group reported a slight increase in common equity tier 1 ratio - a closely watched measure of balance sheet strength - and a jump in new lending during the first quarter as demand from professional landlords surged.

STHREE: Recruiter SThree Plc posted a 20 percent rise in full-year pretax profit on Monday as strong international hiring offset declines in Britain.

FLYBE: Flybe Group plc confirmed on Monday its largest shareholder has urged the airline to remove Chairman Simon Laffin and investigate the company's cut-price sale to a consortium.

Tesco: Tesco, Britain's biggest supermarket chain, may cut thousands of jobs by closing in-store meat, fish and delicatessen counters and by replacing staff canteens with vending machines, the Mail on Sunday newspaper reported, citing industry sources.

VODAFONE: Vodafone, the world's second-largest mobile operator, said it was "pausing" the deployment of Huawei equipment in its core networks until Western governments give the Chinese firm full security clearance.

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL: The United Steelworkers union said on Friday Shell Oil Co is delaying progress on important issues in negotiations for a new national agreement covering 30,000 US refinery and chemical workers, according to sources familiar with the talks.

GOLD: Gold prices held steady on Monday, near a seven-month peak scaled in previous session, on hopes the US Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged during its two-day policy meeting later in the week.

OIL: Oil prices fell on Monday after US energy firms added rigs for the first time this year in a sign that crude production there may rise further, and as China, the world's second-largest oil user, reported additional signs of an economic slowdown.

The UK blue chip index closed 0.14 percent down at 6809.22 on Friday, as Vodafone tumbled and a stronger pound weighed on exporter stocks.