FTSE 100 closes lower

The leading stock exchange closed fractionally lower on Friday as discouraging US consumer spending raised concerns that the pace of the economic recovery may be slowing.

The FTSE 100 index fell 0.13 percent to end at 5,188.43 points.

Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) was the most traded stock, seeing 288 million shares change hands, followed by the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which saw 153 million units switch owners.

The day's best-performing security was Severn Trent, which added 39 pence -- or 3.36 percent -- to end at 1,198, followed by fellow water company United Utilities, which gained 15 pence -- or 2.86 percent -- to finish at 539.5.

Oil giant BP was the session's worst blue chip performer, losing 26 pence -- or 4.99 percent -- to close at 494.8, followed by banking group Standard Chartered, which lost 45 pence -- or 2.68 percent -- to end at 1,637.

Meanwhile, the pound fell against the euro and the dollar.

At 17:15, the pound was trading at 1.171 euros, down from 1.178 at the same time on Thursday, while sterling stood at 1.448 dollars, down from 1.455 over the same period.