BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The UK stock market closed roughly flat on Friday when the rest of the markets, except Denmark, remained shut for May Day holiday.
Investors largely reacted to corporate earnings updates. Geopolitical news were in focus as well.
UK's benchmark FTSE 100, which remained in negative territory right through the session, settled at 10,363.93, down 14.89 points or 0.14% from previous close.
Shares from energy and financials sectors turned in a weak performance.
Natwest Group fell 3.35%. The lender's bottom line came in at GBP1.507 billion, or GBP0.178 per share. This compares with GBP1.478 billion, or GBP0.172 per share, last year. Revenue for the period rose 0.8% to GBP4.358 billion from GBP4.324 billion last year.
Miners Endeavour Mining and Glencore fell 2.7% and 0.8%, respectively. Weighed down by a drop in oil prices, energy stocks BP and Shell lost 2% and 1.1%, respectively.
AstraZeneca drifted down 3.1%. United Utilities, Severn Trent, Weir Group and IMI lost 2%-2.7%.
Among the notable gainers, DCC climbed 4.8%, Entain moved up nearly 4.5%, while ICG, Metlen Energy & Metals, Pearson, Games Workshop, Whitbread, Halma, Unilever, Marks & Spencer and Mondi advanced by 2%-3.5%.
In economic news, survey data from S&P Global showed UK manufacturing activity growth reached a near four-year high in April, driven by improvements in production, orders and employment. The final manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to a 47-month high of 53.7 in April from 51.0 in the previous month. The flash score was 53.6.
Data published by Nationwide Building Society showed UK house prices grew by more-than-expected 3% on a yearly basis in April, following an increase of 2.2% in March. Prices were expected to rise again by 2.2%.
UK mortgage approvals rose unexpectedly in March, reaching a four-month high, while consumer credit logged its fastest growth since early 2024, official data showed Friday. The number of mortgages approved in March rose to 63,531 from 62,708 in the previous month, the Bank of England reported. Approvals were forecast to fall to 60,000.
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