FTSE 100 down 1.5, FTSE 250 off 0.6
LSEG, Mondi down on H1 profit fall
Unilever, BT Group fall as shares trade exdiv
BoE rate hike verdict due 1100 GMT

Aug 3 Reuters UK39;s FTSE 100 fell over 1 for the second straight session on Thursday, as downbeat earnings and exdividend trades weighed, while investors awaited the Bank of England39;s verdict on monetary policy tightening later in the day.

The bluechip FTSE 100 fell 1.5, hovering near a twoweek low hit on Wednesday, while the more domesticallyfocussed FTSE 250 midcap index lost 0.6.

London Stock Exchange Group lost 3.1 after the exchange39;s firsthalf profit before tax fell 17.6.

Mondi slumped 3.9 after the paper and packaging firm reported a 28 drop in halfyearly underlying core profit.

The BoE is expected to raise interest rates to a 15year high of 5.25 from 5, though there is a risk of a repeat of June39;s surprise halfpoint increase as inflation remains the highest of the world39;s major economies.

For the first time in a long time, we39;re unsure what to expect at this next meeting, said Joseph Calnan, corporate FX dealing manager at Moneycorp.

We could see a 50 bps hike, a 25 bps hike, or even no change at all given CPI finally eased off in June after a stubborn 11 months.

Investors are also eyeing July services Purchasing Managers39; Index PMI data due later in the day.

Further weighing on the FTSE 100 were telecom firm BT Group and consumer staples major Unilever, which fell 5.5 and 1.8,…