Investing.com – U.K. stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Gas, Water & Multiutilities, Mobile Telecommunications and Fixed Line Telecommunications sectors led shares higher.
At the close in London, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 added 0.20%.
The best performers of the session on the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 were ITV PLC (LON:ITV), which rose 4.28% or 7.40 points to trade at 180.40 at the close. Meanwhile, Severn Trent PLC (LON:SVT) added 2.12% or 43.00 points to end at 2068.00 and National Grid PLC (LON:NG) was up 2.02% or 17.40 points to 876.50 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Associated British Foods PLC (LON:ABF), which fell 4.30% or 112.00 points to trade at 2492.00 at the close. Direct Line Insurance Group PLC (LON:DLGD) declined 3.70% or 12.70 points to end at 330.20 and Fresnillo PLC (LON:FRES) was down 2.26% or 26.00 points to 1123.50.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the London Stock Exchange by 1002 to 916 and 347 ended unchanged.
Shares in Direct Line Insurance Group PLC (LON:DLGD) fell to 52-week lows; down 3.70% or 12.70 to 330.20.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.27% or 3.40 to $1255.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 1.11% or 0.81 to hit $73.75 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract fell 0.47% or 0.36 to trade at $77.03 a barrel.
GBP/USD was up 0.28% to 1.3261, while EUR/GBP rose 0.09% to 0.8852.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.36% at 93.79.