Investing.com – U.K. stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Pharmaceuticals & Biotech, Oil & Gas Producers and Healthcare Equipment & Services sectors led shares lower.
At the close in London, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 lost 3.12% to hit a new 52-week low.
The best performers of the session on the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 were JD Sports Fashion PLC (LON:JD), which rose 9.53% or 6.02 points to trade at 69.18 at the close. Meanwhile, B&M European Value Retail SA (LON:BMEB) added 2.63% or 7.30 points to end at 284.90 and Fresnillo PLC (LON:FRES) was up 2.44% or 21.00 points to 883.00 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were AstraZeneca PLC (LON:AZN), which fell 6.82% or 707.00 points to trade at 9,667.00 at the close. Vistry Group PLC (LON:VTYV) declined 6.76% or 37.20 points to end at 513.20 and BP PLC (LON:BP) was down 6.01% or 21.30 points to 332.95.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the London Stock Exchange by 1572 to 320 and 480 ended unchanged.
Shares in AstraZeneca PLC (LON:AZN) fell to 52-week lows; losing 6.82% or 707.00 to 9,667.00. Shares in BP PLC (LON:BP) fell to 3-years lows; falling 6.01% or 21.30 to 332.95.
Gold Futures for June delivery was up 3.67% or 109.66 to $3,099.86 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May fell 3.73% or 2.22 to hit $57.36 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract fell 3.53% or 2.22 to trade at $60.60 a barrel.
GBP/USD was unchanged 0.08% to 1.28, while EUR/GBP rose 0.72% to 0.86.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.58% at 102.10.