By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Shares of Intertek Group PLC slumped on
Friday after cautious guidance from the product-testing company,
leading the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index lower for a second straight
day.
The benchmark index fell 0.1% to 6,834.45, trimming its weekly
gain to 0.3%.
Intertek slid 5.5% after the firm said market conditions remain
variable "with good growth in our key product-related business
lines, but weak demand in certain other markets."
Mining firms also weighed in London as metals prices were mixed.
Shares of Rio Tinto PLC (RIO) lost 1.8%, Anglo American PLC fell
1.6% and BHP Billiton PLC (BHP) gave up 1%.
More broadly, developments in Ukraine also kept investors on
edge on Friday. Bloomberg News reported that Ukrainian troops have
moved to force separatists from their eastern rebel bases near the
towns of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, citing acting President
Oleksandr Turchynov. Meanwhile, U.S. and U.K. diplomats vowed to
impose further industrywide sanctions on Russia if the country
undermines Ukraine's presidential election later this month.
On a more upbeat note in London, U.K. supermarket chains capped
losses for the FTSE 100. Shares of Wm. Morrison Supermarkets PLC
gained 4.6%, J Sainsbury PLC climbed 2.6% and Tesco PLC added
2%.
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