The FTSE 100 index closed down 0.32 per cent or 23.75 points to 7,513.62 this afternoon, while the FTSE 250 index finished down 0.9 per cent or 194.99 points to 21,362.60.
British retail sales grew faster than expected in January, recovering about half the losses suffered when a wave of coronavirus cases caused many shoppers to stay at home during December.
Retail sales volumes rose by 1.9 per cent in January after a 4 per cent decline in December, the largest rise since lockdown rules for non-essential stores in England were relaxed last April.
NatWest reported a leap in annual profit on Friday on the back of the country’s economic recovery, but said rising prices would make it harder to cut overheads, lowering its cost-cutting target.
The bank reported statutory pre-tax profits of £4billion for the 2021 calendar year, in line with an average of analyst estimates compiled by the bank and up from £351million in the previous year.
The Daily Mail has launched a campaign to Back British Tech and for Arm to return to the London stock market, following the group’s billionaire owner plans to float the company in New York in a blockbuster listing.
But demands are mounting for the chip designer – one of the most successful ever tech companies to be founded in the UK – to have its shares listed in the City.
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NatWest announced it would pay a 7.5p per share dividend and an on-market share buyback of £750million
