By Barbara Kollmeyer, MarketWatch
MADRID (MarketWatch) -- U.K. stocks tracked the rest of Europe
lower on Monday, as supermarket stocks proved a drag, but the main
U.K. index was still set to finish the year around 14% higher.
The FTSE 100 index fell 0.3% on Monday to end at 6,731.27.
Retailers were the weak link on Monday, with Marks & Spencer
Group PLC down 1.7%, J Sainsbury PLC off 1.9% and Wm Morrison
Supermarkets PLC slipping 1.5%. Related decliners included
Associated British Foods PLC , which fell 1%.
Trading volumes were low as investors wind down 2013, with many
on vacation until after the new year. But investors should be
careful with the big gains that have been made recently across all
markets, said Craig Erlam, market analyst with Alpari, in a
note.
"We should be a little careful [...] as these gains have come at
a time when trading volumes have dropped significantly, owing to
the festive period, which can sometimes be followed by sharp
reversals as volumes pick up again," said Erlam.
Shares of Anglo American PLC rose 2.2%, outperforming the rest
of the mining sector.
HSBC Holdings PLC fell 0.5%, while British American Tobacco PLC
dropped 1%.
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