• FTSE 100 down 0.3%, FTSE 250 up 0.1%
• Copper miners hit over three-month low
• Compass Group raises profit and revenue forecasts; shares gain

July 23 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 inched down on Tuesday as copper miners weighed heavily on the market, tracking lower copper prices, while positive updates from companies helped contain declines.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index (.FTSE) , opens new tab was down 0.3%, after logging its best session in more than a week on Monday. The mid-cap FTSE 250 (.FTMC) , opens new tab was up 0.1% as of 0719 GMT.

Industrial metal miners (.FTNMX551020) , opens new tab led declines with a 1.7% loss. Heavyweights like Rio Tinto (RIO.L) , opens new tab and Glencore (GLEN.L) , opens new tab slipped over 1% each as copper prices were pressured by growing concerns over prolonged weakness in Chinese demand after the country's latest policy announcements disappointed investors.

The sector hit its lowest level since early April.

Automobile and parts stocks (.FTNMX401010) , opens new tab also fell 1.6%, with Dowlais Group (DWL.L) , opens new tab, TI Fluid Systems (TIFS.L) , opens new tab and Aston Martin (AML.L) , opens new tab falling over 1% each, after German automaker Porsche AG (P911_p.DE) , opens new tab cut its sales and profitability outlook.

Energy (.FTNMX601010) , opens new tab and precious metal miners (.FTNMX551030) , opens new tab also slipped 0.5% and 0.6%, respectively.

Investor focus is on Wall Street giants like Alphabet (GOOGL.O) , opens new tab and Tesla (TSLA.O) , opens new tab that will report quarterly earnings after the closing bell on Tuesday.

U.S. gross domestic product numbers and inflation data, due later this week, could shed more light on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy path.

Politics continued to make headlines in the U.S. after Vice President Kamala Harris secured support from delegates needed to become the Democrat nominee after President Joe Biden abandoned his reelection bid.

Meanwhile in London, SThree Plc (STEMS.L) , opens new tab jumped 3.5% after announcing its half-yearly results.

Compass (CPG.L) , opens new tab gained 3.2% after the catering group raised its 2024 profit and revenue forecasts for the second time this year despite easing prices.

Beazley (BEZG.L) , opens new tab rose 2.2% after the insurer said it had no plans to alter its guidance in the wake of Friday's global IT glitch.

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https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/londons-ftse-100-falls-copper-miners-automobile-stocks-weigh-2024-07-23/