The blue-chip FTSE 100 slipped 0.3% by 0807 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 dropped 0.5%, with global markets also in risk-averse mood ahead of rate decisions from the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England during the week.

Unilever rose 0.8% after the company appointed Hein Schumacher, currently the chief of Dutch dairy business FrieslandCampina, to replace Alan Jope as its chief executive from July 1.

888 Holdings slid 7.5% after the bookmaker said Chief Executive Officer Itai Pazner would step down immediately and that it would suspend VIP activities in some markets pending an internal investigation.

Legal & General slipped 2.0% after the insurer said Chief Executive Nigel Wilson was retiring after a decade in the top job but would remain in the post until a successor took the helm.

(Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)