By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- A much better-than-expected report on
U.K. retail sales helped lift the FTSE 100 index on Friday,
although shares of Royal Dutch Shell PLC added pressure on the
benchmark after a profit warning.
The FTSE 100 index climbed 0.3% to 6,833.68, setting it on track
for a 1.4% weekly gain.
The index was buoyed by data from the Office for National
Statistics showing U.K. retail sales jumped 2.6% in December over
November, beating analysts' forecast of a 0.2% rise. That was the
biggest month-on-month rise since February 2010.
Retail firms were among top advancers in the U.K. index, with
shares of Marks and Spencer Group PLC up 2% and Kingfisher PLC
rising 1.1%.
Mining firms were also on the rise, tracking gains for most
metals prices. Shares of Glencore Xstrata PLC (GLCNF) added 2.6%,
Rio Tinto PLC (RIO) put on 1.7% and BHP Billiton PLC (BHP) gained
1.4%. Miners also advanced on Thursday after Citigroup went bullish
on the sector for the first time in three years.
On a more downbeat note in London, shares of Royal Dutch Shell
PLC (RDSB) gave up 3% after the energy giant warned fourth-quarter
profit would be significantly weaker than recent levels.
Other oil firms were also lower, with shares of BP PLC (BP) down
0.5%, and BG Group PLC off 0.4%. Oil -services firm Petrofac Ltd. ,
however, climbed 1.1% after Nomura lifted it to buy from
neutral.
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