British stock indexes declined on Wednesday as investors reacted to stable inflation data and anticipated a potentially significant Federal Reserve policy decision. The FTSE 100 and midcap stocks fell 0.2%, despite having reached their highest levels since early September the previous day. UK annual consumer price inflation remained steady at 2.2% in August, but services inflation rose to 5.6%, prompting traders to reduce expectations for a Bank of England rate cut at its upcoming meeting. The British pound strengthened against the dollar, impacting export-focused companies on the FTSE 100. Market predictions for a 50-basis-point rate cut by the Federal Reserve surged to 61%, leading to uncertainty about the size of any cuts. Reckitt Benckiser saw a 2% rise after reports of discussions regarding the sale of its homecare assets, while mining stocks faced losses due to declining metal prices.