The FTSE 100 Index Closes 0.20% Lower

The FTSE 100 fell on Friday, extending its losses for a fifth consecutive session, as weakness across mining and pharmaceutical stocks weighed on the index. Lower industrial metal prices pressured miners, with Antofagasta falling more than 4%, Glencore dropping 2%, and Anglo American and Rio Tinto falling more than 1%. Meanwhile, Fresnillo and Endeavour recovered from sharp losses to close nearly flat as gold and silver rebounded. Pharmaceutical stocks were similarly weak, with AstraZeneca and GSK both losing more than 2%. On the other hand, Shell rose 1% as oil prices remained supported. Aviva added nearly 2% after reporting a 24% increase in first-half profit compared with the previous year. The company said it remained on track to meet its three-year group targets, providing some support to its shares. For the week, the UK index went down around 1.4%.

The FTSE 100 Index dropped 21 points or 0.20 percent on Friday to close at 10751 points. Losses were led by Antofagasta (-4.55%), GlaxoSmithKline (-2.32%) and Burberry (-2.28%). Offsetting the fall, top gainers were The Sage Group (4.11%), Experian (3.24%) and Pershing Square Holdings Ord (2.43%).

The FTSE 100 traded slightly lower on Friday, extending its losses for a fifth consecutive session, as weakness across mining and pharmaceutical stocks weighed on the index. Lower industrial metal prices pressured miners, with Antofagasta falling more than 4%, while Glencore, Endeavour and Fresnillo each declined by more than 2%. Anglo American also dropped around 1.8%. Pharmaceutical stocks were similarly weak, with AstraZeneca and GSK both losing more than 1%. The declines came despite a relatively stronger performance from energy stocks, with Shell and BP trading slightly higher as oil prices remained supported. Aviva also edged up after the insurer reported a 24% increase in first-half profit compared with the previous year. The company said it remained on track to meet its three-year group targets, providing some support to its shares. For the week, the UK index was down around 1.4%.