Gold futures reached a new all-time high in Asian trading, sparked by rising Middle East tensions and increasing prospects of the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates.
BAE Systems raised its full-year guidance after it reported a 13% rise in sales for the first half as defence spending was high across its key markets.
The pound was falling ahead of the BOE policy decision although Commerzbank said the wording of the decision and the medium-term forecasts are likely to be more important for currency.
BMW’s automotive unit reported slightly lower-than-forecast profitability in the second quarter as revenue was weighed by heightened competition and weaker consumer sentiment in China.
