British stocks down 0.78 pct Thursday

LONDON, March 1 (Xinhua) -- British stocks decreased on Thursday, with the benchmark FTSE 100 Index down 56.27 points, or 0.78 percent at 7,175.64 points.

Evraz, an international steel and mining company, soared 4.94 percent, the top gainer of the blue chips. Burberry Group and Shire rose by 3.81 percent and 3.63 percent, respectively.

Rentokil Initial, a health and medical service supplier, was the worst performer in the blue chips, with its shares losing 9.15 percent. WPP, the British multinational advertising and public relations company, dropped 8.18 percent. Ashtead Group, a British industrial equipment rental company, dropped 3.78 percent. Enditem