• FTSE 100 down 0.11%%, FTSE 250 down 0.12%
• Auto stocks slide tracking losses in European peers
• Gold stocks shine as gold hits record high
• Airlines down on cyberattack at European airports

Sept 22 (Reuters) - London stocks edged lower on Monday, pressured by weakness in automakers and a stronger pound, as investors awaited comments from several Federal Reserve officials later in the day.

The benchmark FTSE 100 (.FTSE) , opens new tab was down 0.11% at 1006 GMT, while the domestically-focused FTSE 250 (.FTMC) , opens new tab fell 0.12%.

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British automobiles and parts (.FTNMX401010) , opens new tab stocks fell 1.6%, tracking losses in the broader European automobile sector (.SXAP) , opens new tab after Porsche (P911_p.DE) , opens new tab scaled back plans for its electric vehicle rollout, prompting the luxury sportscar maker and its parent Volkswagen (VOWG.DE) , opens new tab to slash their 2025 profit outlooks.

British luxury carmaker Aston Martin (AML.L) , opens new tab slipped 3.2%.

Sterling's strength against the greenback also weighed on export-oriented firms, as investors paused after Friday's selloff driven by fiscal concerns.

The Bank of England left key interest rates unchanged last week as it contended with sticky inflation and uncertainty around jobs and growth.

Caution dominated broader sentiment after a report on Friday showed Britain’s borrowing exceeded official forecasts, adding pressure on Finance Minister Rachel Reeves ahead of her November budget.

Precious metal miners (.FTNMX551030) , opens new tab rose 5.1%, the most among sectors, as gold hit a record high on rising expectations of a more dovish rate path.

Miner Fresnillo (FRES.L) , opens new tab was among the top gainers in the FTSE 100 with a 4% rise while Hochschild (HOCM.L) , opens new tab jumped 8.8%.

Other miners, including Glencore (GLEN.L) , opens new tab and Rio Tinto (RIO.L) , opens new tab, added 1.2% and 1.4%, respectively. An index of industrial metal miners (.FTNMX551020) , opens new tab edged up 1.3%, tracking gains in copper prices.

London-listed airlines declined due to delays at European airports following a reported cyberattack. EasyJet (EZJ.L) , opens new tab, British airways owner IAG (ICAG.L) , opens new tab and Wizz Air (WIZZ.L) , opens new tab, fell between 1.3% and 1.5%.

British food ingredients maker Tate & Lyle (TATE.L) , opens new tab fell about 6%, the most on the FTSE 250, after Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to “underweight” from “equal-weight.”

Investors will watch for remarks from at least five Fed officials later Monday, while Chair Jerome Powell is due to speak Tuesday after last week's 25-basis-point rate cut.

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/london-stocks-edge-lower-sterling-climbs-automakers-slip-2025-09-22/