The index opened flat this morning after another weak economic data from China fuelled demand fears weighed on miners. The country’s manufacturing activity contracted for a fifth consecutive month in August.

Among stocks, British sportswear group Frasers gained 0.5% after it raised its stake in online fashion retailer Boohoo to 9.1% from 7.8%.

In other news, there are some changes within the FTSE 100, since it was officially announced that Marks & Spencer is set to return to the blue-chip index after 4 years away. Diploma, Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Dechra Pharmaceuticals are also joining. They are replacing Persimmon, Johnson Matthey, Abrdn and Hiscox.

Things to read today:

The fundamental reason China will struggle to dethrone the dollar (Financial Times)

French Inflation Speeds Up With ECB Facing Rate-Hike Dilemma (Bloomberg)

Staffordshire-based Instem bought by private equity group for £203m (The Guardian)