FTSE 100 set to end week higher on strong energy share gains

Among stocks, British outsourcer Capita gained 0.6% after it said it would sell its IT services and solutions business Trustmarque to private equity firm One Equity Partners for 111 million pounds ($148.64 million) on a cash-free, debt-free basis.

London's FTSE 100 fell on Friday led by weakness in banking shares, though the index is on course to end the week higher on support from strong gains in energy stocks, while the mid-cap index was set to end lower for the fourth week. The blue-chip FTSE 100 fell 0.5% with financials HSBC Holdings, Barclays and Prudential leading the decline.

The index is set to end the week 0.4% higher, its fifth weekly gain in six as heavyweight energy shares tracked higher crude prices on supply worries. The domestically focussed mid-cap index was down 0.6% with travel and leisure stocks falling the most.

Meanwhile, data showed that the number of shuttered shops in Britain edged lower for the first time in four years in the final quarter of 2021, which pushed retail stocks 0.4% higher. Among stocks, British outsourcer Capita gained 0.6% after it said it would sell its IT services and solutions business Trustmarque to private equity firm One Equity Partners for 111 million pounds ($148.64 million) on a cash-free, debt-free basis.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)