BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks were subdued on Thursday
after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a general election for July 4.

Investors were also reacting to the results of a survey, which showed that
growth across British businesses cooled noticeably this month.

The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 8 points at 8,362 after falling 0.6 percent on
Wednesday.

National Grid shares plunged 9 percent after the electricity and gas utility
unveiled plans to raise about 7 billion pounds ($8.9 billion) through a fully
underwritten rights issue of 1.09 billion new shares.

Drax was down 8.7 percent, Pennon Group fell nearly 7 percent and United
Utilities dropped more than 5 percent.

Wizz Air Holdings surged 5 percent after the low-cost airline returned to profit
in FY24.

Hargreaves Lansdown jumped 12 percent after the investment platform rejected a
surprise takeover offer from a group of private equity buyers.

Insurer Aviva dropped 1 percent despite reporting strong results for its first
quarter.



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