LONDON MARKETS: FTSE 100 Ends Choppy Day Lower As Miners Weigh

By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K.'s FTSE 100 ended a choppy session slightly lower on Friday, with mining firms continuing their push lower, while Vodafone Group PLC climbed after acquisition news.

The FTSE 100 index closed 2.41 points lower at 6,775.25, marginally trimming its weekly advance to 1.3%.

Miners added the most pressure on the benchmark, building on Thursday's losses that came after data showed factory activity in China fell to a three-month low in August. Miners are sensitive to news about the Chinese manufacturing sector as it is a major user of natural resources.

Shares of BHP Billiton PLC (BHP) lost 1.4%, Rio Tinto PLC fell 1.2% and Anglo American PLC slipped 1.1%.

Shares London Stock Exchange Group PLC initially fell after the company said it plans to raise 938 million pounds ($1.56 billion) through a rights issue for existing shareholders to fund the takeover of asset manager Frank Russell Co. But shares later reversed and closed 1.2% higher.

Shares of Vodafone Group PLC (VOD) picked up 1.6% after the wireless telecoms major said it agreed to acquire a majority stake in Greek telecommunications operator Hellas Online for 72.7 million euro ($97 million) in cash.

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