BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - After posting gains in the previous six sessions, the U.K. market is down in negative territory on Friday with data showing a less than expected increase in retail sales, and a drop in consumer sentiment weighing on stocks.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 39.67 points or 0.43% at 9,098.70 a little while ago.
RightMove, LSEG, JD Sports Fashion, Informa and 3i Group are down 2 to 2.5%.
St. James's Place, Schroders, Segro, Kingfisher, Airtel Africa, Melrose Industries, Severn Trent, IAG, Unilever, Barratt Redrow and Land Securities are also notably lower.
Natwest Group is gaining nearly 2.5% after upgrading its full-year outlook and launching a share buyback program.
Ashtead Group is up by about 2%. Entain, Lloyds Banking Group, Mondi, Beazley, BT Group, Sage Group, Barclays, Standard Chartered, Polar Capital Technology Trust and Pershing Square Holdings are gaining 0.5 to 1.5%.
In economic news, data from the Office for National Statistics showed UK retail sales recovered in June as warm weather boosted food and non-food store sales. However, the rise was less than economists' forecast.
Retail sales grew 0.9% on a monthly basis, in contrast to the revised 2.8%drop in May. However, this was weaker than economists' forecast of 1.2% gain.
Excluding auto fuel, retail sales advanced 0.6%, reversing a 2.9% drop in May. Economists had forecast an increase of 1.2%.
A report from Gfk Group said that the GfK Consumer Confidence Index for the UK edged down to -19 in July 2025 from -18 in June, slipping from a six-month high as households grew increasingly cautious amid rising concerns over taxes and inflation.
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