British stocks decreased on Tuesday, with the benchmark FTSE 100 Index down by 0.52 percent, or 38.55 points, to close at 7,372.92 points.

Merlin Entertainments, a major European entertainments company, soared 2.10 percent, the top gainer of the blue chips. Paddy Power Betfair and Severn Trent increased by 2.01 percent and 1.11 percent, respectively.

The British sub-prime lender Provident Financial was the worst performer in the blue chips, with its shares losing 6.54 percent. Carnival, a major cruise company, dropped 3.55 percent. Reckitt Benckiser Group, the British health, hygiene and home products producer, fell 2.72 percent.