Investing.com – U.K. stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Aerospace & Defense, Fixed Line Telecommunications and Software & Computer Services sectors led shares lower.
At the close in London, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 declined 0.41%.
The best performers of the session on the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 were Centrica PLC (LON:CNA), which rose 5.63% or 7.65 points to trade at 143.55 at the close. Meanwhile, Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LON:LLOY) added 4.87% or 3.06 points to end at 65.90 and Anglo American PLC (LON:AAL) was up 2.49% or 59.00 points to 2,429.00 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were BAE Systems PLC (LON:BAES), which fell 4.54% or 61.00 points to trade at 1,284.00 at the close. Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LON:RR) declined 3.77% or 24.20 points to end at 618.40 and Smurfit WestRock PLC (LON:SWR) was down 3.37% or 147.00 points to 4,212.00.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the London Stock Exchange by 972 to 754 and 656 ended unchanged.
Shares in Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LON:LLOY) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 4.87% or 3.06 to 65.90.
Gold Futures for April delivery was up 0.79% or 23.31 to $2,959.41 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 1.19% or 0.86 to hit $72.96 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract rose 1.18% or 0.90 to trade at $76.94 a barrel.
GBP/USD was up 0.47% to 1.26, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.07% to 0.83.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.58% at 106.44.