By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K.'s FTSE 100 index ended Monday in
negative territory after weak U.S. housing data discouraged
investors in the U.S. and Europe during a data-light European
day.
The benchmark index lost 0.1% to close at 6,788.07, marking a
second straight session in the red. The FTSE traded as high as
6,809.61 earlier in the day, but moved lower alongside other
European and U.S. markets after pending home sales in the U.S. fell
in June for the first time in four months.
Shares of Aberdeen Asset Management PLC led decliners in London
and slumped 5.3% after the company reported a decline in
third-quarter assets under management.
Shares in GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) slipped 0.6% after the
British drug giant's chief executive said the company is open to
spinning off its consumer health-care business in an interview with
the Financial Times published Sunday.
On a more upbeat note, Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC gained 2.7%
after the company said it will pursue a spinoff of its
pharmaceutical unit to focus more on its core consumer health and
hygiene business. Additionally, Reckitt Benckiser reported a 7%
fall in second-quarter sales.
Shares of EasyJet PLC climbed 0.9% after Citigroup upgraded the
airliner to buy from neutral.
Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LYG) was also in the spotlight after
U.S. and U.K. authorities imposed roughly $370 million of fines on
the bank for attempting to rig the London interbank offered rate,
or Libor, and other widely used interest-rate benchmarks. Lloyds
shares closed marginally higher.
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