Shares in the United Kingdom dropped on Friday, following three consecutive trading sessions of gains, as investors mulled over reported earnings and mergers and acquisitions. The FTSE 100 Index fell 0.44%, or 29.91 points to close at 6,791.55 in London on Friday. 24 companies recorded daily gains, while 77 registered a daily loss. However, the UK benchmark marked a second consecutive week of gains, rising 0.62%. The broader gauge, FTSE All-Share Index, lost 0.4% on a daily basis.
Shares of Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC (RBS:LN) recorded the most considerable daily gain within the FTSE 100, adding 35.400 GBp, or 10.77%, to close at 364.200 GBp. This has been the largest daily advance since May 10th 2010. According to the bank, its pretax profit during the first half of the year may have risen to 2.65 billion GBP from 1.37 billion GBP during the same period last year. In addition, impairment losses decreased 1.88 billion GBP to reach 269 million GBP.
Shares of the global miner, Anglo American PLC (AAL:LN) added 54.500 GBp, or 3.44%, to close at 1,639.500 GBp. The stock recorded a second consecutive week of gains, climbing 6.91%. This has also been the largest weekly advance since the week ended on January 12th, when the company added 11.25%.
Pearson PLC (PSON:LN) marked the third largest daily gain within the FTSE, rising 2.82%, or 31.000 GBp, to close at 1,132.000 GBp on Friday. The publisher of the Financial Times announced that its first-half sales declined 6.5%, which came in consonance with market expectations.
Shares of British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC (BSY:LN) fell the most within the FTSE 100 on Friday, losing 50.500 GBp, or 5.46%, to close at 874.500 GBp. The weekly loss was 4.87%, or the largest since the week ended on November 10th 2013. According to Bloomberg, the broadcaster will acquire the US company’s pay-TV businesses in Italy and Germany for over 9 billion USD.
Shares of GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK:LN) slid 3.16%, or 46.500 GBp, to close at 1,423.000 GBp. The research-based pharmaceutical company marked a full week of losses, which amounted to 8.94%, or the most since the week ended on September 27th 2009.
Petrofac Ltd (PFC:LN) lost 25.000 GBp, or 2.17%, to close at 1,127.000 GBp, marking the third largest daily loss within the FTSE 100 Index.
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