FTSE 100 Index ended a lacklustre week with more losses yesterday as US markets turned lower.
After a bright start, the FTSE followed Wall Street down and closed 11.6 points lower at 4241 amid signs of caution from US consumers.
Miners were again out of favour, but the exception proved to be Xstrata, which rose 16.8p, to 686p at the end of a week that saw it make an unsuccessful attempt to merge with Anglo American.
Insurers were under pressure as Legal & General fell 1p to 56p and Prudential slipped 7p, to 399.25p. British Airways shares have also suffered turbulence, but rallied 2.7p, to 128.3p after it emerged that 7,000 staff had agreed to a voluntary pay cut, potentially saving the company £10m.
Other risers included retailer Marks & Spencer, which rose 9p, to 312p ahead of a first quarter trading update from the company next week.
Royal Bank of Scotland jumped 1.4p, to 38.1p and HSBC added 4.5p, to 510p.
Meanwhile, shares in broadcaster BSkyB slid after further signs from the communications regulator that it intended to force the company to sell its sports and movies content to rivals at regulated prices. BSkyB was 2.25p down at 449.5p.
Food producer Uniq rallied eight per cent after it agreed a deal to sell its operations in France. Uniq said the £62m sale proceeds would be used to pay down debt and fund investment opportunities as it looks to focus on its UK turnaround.
Shares in the M&S supplier were 2p higher, at 27.75p, while rival Fox’s biscuit’s Northern Foods lifted 3p, to 55.5p.
Laundry company Davis Service rose 25.5p to 334.5p or eight per cent after it said revenues for the first five months of the year were ahead of last year.
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