Markets: FTSE 100 sees disappointing end to the week

Markets had a disappointing end to the week on Friday after poor economic data from Europe and the US dragged the index down. The FTSE 100 fell 0.9% to close at 6,749

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  • FTSE 100 down 0.9% to 6,749
  • Gold down 2.1% to $1,257.38/oz
  • £/$ - 1.5067

International Consolidated Airlines was the biggest faller of the day, down 3.5% after it was revealed that Qatar Airways is to take a 9.99% stake. Supermarkets were also out of favour, with Sainsbury's down 3.2%, and Morrison's 2.7% lower.

In European markets, the Paris CAC 40 fell 27 points to 4,604, and the German Xetra Dax fell 43 points to 10,694

In the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1.5% to 17,164, the S&P 500 lost 1.3% to 1,994, and the Nasdaq Composite was 1% lower at 4,635.

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Overnight in Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.7% to 17,558, and the broader Topix index lost 0.5% to 1,408. And in China, the Shanghai Composite fell 2.6% to 3,128, and the CSI 300 was 2.3% lower at 3,353

Brent spot was trading at $51.69 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $46.94. Spot gold was trading at $1,277 an ounce, silver was at $17.04 and platinum was at $1,227.

In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.5048 and against the euro at 1.3290. The dollar was trading at 0.8831 against the euro and 117.73 against the Japanese yen.

And today, Ryanair raised its profits forecast for the year after reporting a net profit of €49m for the three months to December 31. The airline now expects to make a net profit of between €840m and €850m for the year. It had previously forecast between €810m and €830m.

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