Losses on the main index were led by Asia-focused financial stocks including HSBC and Prudential after Hong Kong's leader said violence in the city's anti-government protests was becoming more serious.

The FTSE 100 was 0.4% lower by 0710 GMT, starting off yet another week on the back foot after suffering losses for four consecutive weeks. The FTSE 250 midcap index was down 0.1%.

Despite U.S. President Donald Trump's prediction of a trade deal with China after positive gestures by Beijing, traders are still awaiting more details after tit-for-tat tariffs that went north of $500 billion weighed down financial markets last week.

IWG, however, jumped 5% to be among top gainers on the midcap index after Sky News report over the weekend that the company was planning to list its U.S. arm in New York for three billion pounds.