Business activity is expected to still remain in contraction, as per a Reuters poll of economists. The PMI data is expected at 0930 GMT.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 fell 0.08% at 0812 GMT.

The top losers on the FTSE 100 were banks, which fell 0.6%, while energy stocks lost 0.4%.

Miners added 0.3%, tracking base and precious metals prices that rose as the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in top consumer China boosted sentiment.

Britain's Vodafone Group rose 2.0% after the mobile operator said Chief Executive Nick Read would step down at the end of this year and be replaced on an interim basis by finance chief, Margherita Della Valle.

Meanwhile, the mid-cap FTSE 250 fell 0.1%.

(Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza)