By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. stocks moved lower in afternoon action on Thursday after Bank of England Governor Mark Carney signaled the central bank is inching closer to raising interest rates.

The FTSE 100 index fell 0.4% to 6,682.34, partly erasing a 0.5% gain from Wednesday. The pound (GBPUSD) trimmed its early loss to trade at $1.6335, compared with $1.6340 late Wednesday.

Most other European markets were on the rise, after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi reiterated that the Governing Council stands ready to "use additional unconventional instruments" to combat low inflation. Economists expect the "unconventional" stimulus measures could be a full-scale quantitative-easing program.

Carney: The U.K.'s central bank was in the spotlight, with BOE boss Carney speaking at the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries General Insurance Conference in Wales. Carney said the central bank is getting closer to the first rate hike, but qualified that increases in borrowing costs likely will be gradual and limited. A hike could come as early as next year, economists predict.

Repeating recent comments, Carney also said that the exact timing of a rate hike will depend on the strength of the U.K. economy.

"While there is always uncertainty about the future, you can expect interest rates to begin to increase. We have no preset course, however, the timing will depend on the data," he said.

Movers: Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC (RBS) added 0.3% after the bank said its Chairman Philip Hampton will step down during 2015 to become GlaxoSmithKline PLC's (GSK) chairman. GSK shares were up 0.4%.

Shares of Ryanair Holdings PLC picked up 1.8% in Dublin after the budget airliner raised its full-year passenger guidance and said profit would come in toward the top end of its previous guidance range.

On a more downbeat note, shares of Hammerson PLC dropped 3.4% after the retail landlord said it will raise around 400 million pounds ($652.8 million) by issuing new shares to buy 40% of Highcross Shopping Centre in Leicester.

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