UK shares slip as miners and Shire weigh on index

* FTSE 100 down 0.2 pct, miners top losers

* Shire (Xetra: S7E.DE - news) falls on declined drug approval

* Barclays (LSE: BARC.L - news) rises on media report

By Kit Rees

LONDON, Oct (HKSE: 3366-OL.HK - news) 19 (Reuters) - Britain's top share index slipped on Monday as mining stocks took a hit from data showing Chinese economic growth slowing, while drugmaker Shire dipped on a setback in the United States for a dry eye treatment.

Britain's FTSE 100 index was down 0.2 percent at 6,364.95 points in early trading, underperforming European indexes.

Among the heaviest fallers were mining companies as metals prices slipped following Chinese economic growth data, which showed that growth in the world's second-largest economy slowed in the third quarter.

While the data came in slightly better than expected, growth was at its weakest since 2009, reflecting headwinds from a sluggish global economy that is denting its demand for metals.

Anglo American (LSE: AAL.L - news) fell 4.3 percent, and Glencore (Amsterdam: GX8.AS - news) , Antofagasta (Other OTC: ANFGY - news) , BHP Billiton (NYSE: BBL - news) and Rio Tinto were all down between 1.6 to 2.8 percent.

Analysts also cited Chinese manufacturing data, which came in weaker than forecast.

"I suspect that, given the relatively poor performance of manufacturing, that is probably a reason why  mining stocks have taken a little bit of a dent," Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown (LSE: HL.L - news) said, adding that it meant less demand than might have been anticipated for mining companies' products.

Pharmaceutical company Shire dropped 1.7 percent after the U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) . Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declined to approve its dry eye drug lifitegrast and requested an additional clinical study.

"We believe the CRL (Complete Response Letter) was fairly well anticipated by the market, with Shire having been warning of the risk of a delay, pending more clinical data for the last few months. Nonetheless, we still expect underperformance today," analysts at JPMorgan wrote in a note.

Barclays rose 1.2 percent after a report in the Financial Times that the company will accelerate the reduction of its investment bank. (Reporting by Kit Rees; Editing by Hugh Lawson)