London Stocks Flat as Oil Prices Slide on Iran Talks

The FTSE 100 index in London remained steady by midday on Monday at 10,863.50 points, despite earlier small losses.

AstraZeneca led the losers with a 5.4% drop after reports emerged that it's in talks to combine with US rival Bristol Myers Squibb in a deal worth nearly $400 billion.

The potential merger comes on top of AstraZeneca's recent direct listing in New York, and investors are concerned that this would shift the company's centre of gravity across the Atlantic.