By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. stocks rose Friday, following up on
the previous session's jump in equities throughout Europe after the
European Central Bank said it will launch a massive
asset-purchasing program.
The FTSE 100 rose 0.5% to 6,826.10, and was on track for a
weekly gain of 4.3%, moving toward its best weekly advance since
late 2011.
Topping the benchmark was CRH PLC , higher by 3.4% following
confirmation Thursday it was in talks with Lafarge SA and Holcim
Ltd. about assets they need to unload, as the cement companies work
on their merger.
But mining shares were lower, with Glencore PLC down 2.6% as its
rating was cut to underweight from neutral at J.P. Morgan. Anglo
American PLC was off 0.8%, with the broker saying it's retaining a
cautious stance on the shares.
On the mining sector's radar was HSBC's preliminary reading of
China's manufacturing sector in January. The index rose to 49.8
from 49.6 in December, and a figure below 50 indicates contraction.
Shares of Antofagasta PLC were down 2.8%, on track for their first
loss in five sessions, and Fresnillo PLC pulled back 2.4%.
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