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FTSE 100 closes lower on Friday

Xinhua, February 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

FTSE 100 Index, British benchmark stock market gauge, Friday decreased by 0.18 percent, or 12.49 points, to 6,853.44.

The London stock index dropped on Friday as high trade deficit from Britain.

British deficit on trade in goods and services was estimated to have been 34.8 billion pounds (53 billion U.S. dollars) in 2014, the largest deficit since 2010, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Friday.

Both exports and imports fell in 2014 compared to 2013, with exports falling more significantly.

Meanwhile, investors also payed attention to the developments in Greece. The country's new finance minister hold several meetings in Europe with creditors as the country attempts to ease the terms of its bailout.

Barclays's share price increased by 2.67 percent, topped the gainers of the blue chips. Aberdeen Asset Management, Ashtead Group, Schroders and Friends Life Group Limited increased by 2.34 percent, 1.96 percent, 1.78 percent and 1.68 percent respectively.

Randgold Resources led the top losers of the blue chips with a share price drop of 4.32 percent, followed by Fresnillo (4.12 percent), Anglo American (2.26 percent), Barratt Developments (2.23 percent) and BHP Billiton (2.15 percent).

The index has gained 4.50 percent so far this year when measured in U.S. dollar. Endit