By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. stocks rose Friday, with gains for
the majority of sectors nudging the FTSE 100 toward a modest
advance for the week.
The FTSE 100 was up 0.7% to 6,727.08, with only basic materials
as a group moving lower. Mining firm Randgold Resources Ltd. fell
1.5%, Rio Tinto PLC (RIO) shed 0.6%, and copper producer Fresnillo
PLC was off 0.3%.
But the best performers included Intertek Group PLC , as its
shares rose 2.9%. UBS raised the product-testing and certification
company to a buy rating from neutral, citing "attractive
risk/reward with M&A providing further upside optionality."
Shares of Meggitt PLC gained1.9% following an upgrade to buy at
Investec for the aerospace equipment maker.
The FTSE 100 was looking at a weekly gain of 0.1%.
The equity benchmark on Thursday lost 0.6%, falling alongside
the broader European stock market after the European Central Bank
decided to hold off on expanding stimulus measures for the
struggling eurozone.
A Bloomberg report late Thursday raised fresh hopes about
European Central Bank stimulus plans, as it said the central bank
expects to consider a proposal for broad-based asset purchases in
January. U.S. stocks climbed to intraday highs following the report
before finishing with small losses.
Investors later in the session will look for U.S. jobs data,
with analysts expecting, on average, the creation of 235,000 jobs
in November.
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