By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Stocks in the U.K. fell Thursday, with
shares of Kingfisher PLC dropping after a downbeat trading update
from the home-improvement retailer.
The FTSE 100 fell 0.3% to 6,780.51.
Kingfisher shares were the leading decliner, with a slide of
7.3%. In its trading report Thursday, the retailer said trading in
its markets in the second-quarter, notably in June, has been
"slower than anticipated, particularly in France and Poland."
But shares of Reed Elsevier PLC rose 1.7% as the publishing and
information services company backed its outlook for the year, even
though first-half profit fell, on lower revenue.
Also, mining stocks gained after a preliminary gauge of Chinese
manufacturing activity from HSBC hit an 18-month high in July.
China is a major buyer of metals and other natural resources.
Antofagasta PLC rose 1.4%, Glencore PLC tacked on 0.3% and Rio
Tinto PLC (RIO) moved up 0.2%.
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