British blue chips fell slightly on Tuesday as sterling inched higher less than two weeks before a general election that will shape talks for the country's exit from the European Union, Reuters reported. The FTSE 100 was down 0.3 percent by 0913 GMT as it reopened after a long holiday weekend, while mid-caps were 0.2 percent lower. The blue chip index, however, stayed near a record high hit on Friday after a run aided by a fall in the pound since Britain's vote in June to exit the EU. British Airways owner IAG was a top faller on the FTSE, down 2.8 percent, on the first day of trading following massive weekend disruption to flights due to an IT outage. The FTSE is up around 5 percent this year compared to the 10 percent rise for euro zone stocks. Sterling was up nearly 0.2 percent at $1.2855 by 0852 GMT. It was up 0.3 percent against at 86.69 pence per euro.
