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Mining companies and energy firms fell as the index dropped 35.83 points to 4,242.63 at 11:59 BST, Reuters reports.
However, it was retailers that were among the worst affected, as the publication of worse-than-expected sales figures sent their share prices downwards.
Marks & Spencer, Kingfisher, Next and Home Retail Group were among those to decline, falling by as much as 2.3 per cent following the release of the data by the Office for National Statistics.
However, there was some positive news in the financial sector, with Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Chartered and Lloyds Banking Group all climbing over the course of the morning.
Market strategist Joshua Raymond noted that trading has "lacked energy" this week, adding that the next earning season will be "important" if the FTSE cannot return to the highs it reached in May.
