Today's Edition
(REUTERS)
London's main stock indexes slipped on Friday as investors assessed a mixed bag of corporate earnings and awaited updates on EU-US trade talks.
The internationally oriented FTSE 100 fell 0.3% as of 0939 GMT, pulling back from its all-time peak reached on Thursday, but was on track to register its fifth straight weekly gain. The midcap FTSE 250 index also lost 0.3%.
Data showed British retail sales rose by 0.9% in June, a partial rebound from May's 2.8% plunge, which was the biggest fall since December 2023.
A survey showed consumer confidence dipped this month ahead of possible tax increases later this year, and households added to their savings.
Construction and materials stocks led the sectoral decline, falling 1.8%, dragged down by Marshalls, which tumbled 21.6%, on downbeat full-year adjusted pre-tax profit forecast.
Precious metal miners lost 1.7%, tracking a fall in gold prices.
Hochschild Mining fell 2.8%, Endeavour Mining lost 1.3%, and Fresnillo down 2.2%. Automobiles rose 0.7%.
In corporate updates, NatWest rose 1.9% after the lender said its profit increased by 18% in the first half and the company announced a new share buyback worth 750 million pounds ($1.01 billion).
Close Brothers surged 8.6% after announcing the sale of its execution services and securities business, Winterflood, to Marex for 103.9 million pounds.
On the flip side, Rightmove fell 1.2% after warning it expects sales growth in the second half of 2025 to be lower than the first half's 10%.
Jupiter Fund Management fell 5.1% after the wealth manager reported lower half-yearly pre-tax profit.
Investors await to see whether the European Union can reach a trade deal with the US before US President Donald Trump's August 1 deadline.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will lobby Trump to accelerate a final deal to cut tariffs on British steel, the Financial Times reported.
