FTSE 100 movers: Pharmas shine; Morrisons goes ex-div

London's FTSE 100 was down 1.4% at 7,234.25 in afternoon trade on Thursday amid worries about escalating Sino-US trade relations and Brexit.

Ex-dividends were in play, with Morrisons and DCC both in the frame.

TUI was also a big loser after UBS reiterated its 'sell' rating on shares of the travel company. The stock has been under pressure since its first-half results last week, when it reported a widening of losses amid a weak demand environment in its markets and airlines segment.

A downgrade of small-cap peer Thomas Cook by S&P and Fitch was also unlikely to be helping sentiment.

Corrugated packaging company Smurfit Kappa retreated on news that one of its shareholders was selling 7 million shares in a placing conducted by Goldman Sachs.

There weren't many stocks in the green, but with investors very much 'risk off', defensives such as pharmaceuticals were in demand, with AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Hikma the top risers.

FTSE 100 - Risers

AstraZeneca (AZN) 6,040.00p 1.72%
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,578.40p 0.46%
Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 1,750.50p 0.40%
Diageo (DGE) 3,329.00p 0.32%
SSE (SSE) 1,009.50p 0.15%
NMC Health (NMC) 2,476.00p 0.12%
Compass Group (CPG) 1,814.00p 0.11%
Pearson (PSON) 804.80p 0.07%
HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 657.90p 0.06%
Fresnillo (FRES) 728.80p 0.03%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Melrose Industries (MRO) 163.15p -6.53%
Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 197.05p -5.90%
TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 735.40p -5.74%
Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) 2,187.00p -5.12%
Ferguson (FERG) 5,154.00p -4.56%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 779.40p -4.04%
Ashtead Group (AHT) 1,963.00p -3.77%
Hiscox Limited (DI) (HSX) 1,613.00p -3.53%
Prudential (PRU) 1,584.50p -3.50%
DCC (DCC) 6,806.00p -3.43%