European markets struggled to make any headway today as Greek lawmakers voted on a controversial bail-out deal to save it from financial collapse.
Prime minister Alexis Tsipras has until midnight to convince hostile MPs to back tough reforms agreed over the weekend that will unlock an 85 billion euro (£60 billion) rescue package and stave off an exit from the single currency.
The FTSE 100 Index headed lower in early trading but closed unchanged at 6753.8, with luxury fashion label Burberry among the biggest fallers after a trading update.
In Europe, Germany's Dax and France's Cac 40 were marginally ahead of their opening mark.
Meanwhile figures from China showing a slowdown in economic growth to 7% - the weakest pace since 2008 - failed to trouble investors as this was better than expected.
But jitters over Greece, which is facing years more of painful cuts under the EU rescue, dampened sentiment.
Mr Tsipras, brought to power as head of the anti-austerity Syriza party, has expressed his own reluctance over the package.
Market nerves were not helped by a leaked report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raising concerns that the bailout will not solve Greece's problem, and that its debts could rise further to 200% of gross domestic product.
In currency markets, the pound slipped marginally against the US dollar, at 1.56, after official figures that showed a surprise rise in unemployment, the first in more than two years. Sterling lifted slightly against the euro, at 1.42.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said jobless numbers rose by 15,000 to 1.85 million in the three months to May while the unemployment rate increased to 5.6% from 5.5% in the three months to April.
But a weaker total number of people in work was caused by a slide in part-time employees as full-time numbers rose. Meanwhile the figures also showed wages rising at an annual pace of 3.2%, the strongest in more than five years.
Among stocks, luxury fashion house Burberry was down more than 2% or 42p to 1578p, after its trading update showed a slowdown in quarterly sales and a hit from lower demand for luxury goods in Hong Kong and areas in Asia.
Mining giant Anglo American was a steady riser after a broker upgrade from Credit Suisse. Shares rose as much as 3%, before easing to close up 4.9p to 874.4p.
British Gas owner Centrica was also ahead despite announcing a 5% cut to household bills. Jefferies analyst Peter Atherton said it came after a 23% fall in wholesale gas prices so would not hit profit margins. The stock added 3p to 280.3p.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 Index were Travis Perkins up 60p at 2224p, RSA Insurance up 7.5p at 425.3p, Mondi up 24p at 1507p and Inmarsat up 14.5p at 948p.
The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 Index were GKN down 8.9p at 309.6p, Burberry down 42p at 1578p, Randgold Resources down 61p at 4102p and Glencore down 3.35p at 245.2p.
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