BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - After a weak start and a subsequent marginal upmove, the UK market's benchmark index FTSE 100 slipped into negative territory on Friday, weighed down by losses in mining stocks.
The mood in the market was cautious amid uncertainty about a long-term truce in the Middle East following the cancellation of the scheduled meet between U.S. and Iranian officials in Switzerland after exchange of fresh hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
The FTSE 100 was down 35.03 points or 0.34% at 10,364.63 about half an hour past noon.
Miners Fresnillo and Antofagasta lost 3.3% and 3.2%, respectively. Anglo American Plc, Endeavour Mining and Glencore shed 2.5%, 2.4% and 1.8%, respectively. Rio Tinto drifted down 1.5%.
BHP Group shares fell more than 2.5% after the mining giant announced that it would record around $2.3 billion impairment charge in relation to its investment to date in the Jansen potash project.
Admiral Group dropped by about 5.2%. Airtel Africa drifted lower by 4.25%. Vodafone Group, Weir Group, IAG, Associated British Foods, Lion Finance, United Utilities, Games Workshop, Lloyds Banking Group, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Next and Burberry Group shed 1.2%-2%.
Energy stocks BP and Shell moved up 2.1% and 1.5%, respectively. Informa gained 1.4%, while The Sage Group, Relx and AstraZeneca climbed 1%-1.2%.
In economic news, data from the Office for National Statistics showed retail sales in UK grew by more-than-expected 1.2% on a monthly basis in May, in contrast to April's 1% fall. Sales were forecast to climb 0.5%.
Excluding auto fuel sales, retail sales moved up 1.2% after a marginal 0.1% drop.
On a yearly basis, growth in retail sales accelerated to 3.2% in May from 0.1% in April and also came in stronger than forecast of 1.9%.
Elsewhere, survey data from the market research group GfK today showed that British consumer confidence remained at low level in June.
The GfK consumer confidence index held steady at -23. Confidence remains subdued and vulnerable to further economic or political uncertainty, GfK consumer insights director Neil Bellamy said.
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