LONDON MARKETS: FTSE 100 Eases From Record High, But Weir Gains

By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. stocks slipped Friday, with the pullback coming after the FTSE 100 notched its all-time high in the previous session.

The FTSE 100 shed 0.1% to 6,952.49, with investors moving with caution ahead of the widely watched U.S. jobs report for February (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/4-things-to-watch-in-the-jobs-report-2015-03-05), due at 1:30 p.m. London time, or 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

Mining, energy and consumer-goods shares were among the sectors moving lower.

On Thursday, the U.K.'s benchmark FTSE 100 logged its highest close ever (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ftse-100-wobbles-as-aviva-rises-admiral-falls-boe-statement-on-tap-2015-03-05), climbing alongside European stocks as the European Central Bank said it will start its massive asset-purchase program on Monday.

Wading at the bottom of the FTSE 100, home-improvement retailer Kingfisher PLC and miner Fresnillo PLC were down 1.8% and 1.9%, respectively.

But Weir Group PLC jumped 4.1%, topping the blue-chip index following British media reports the energy-engineering group may be the target of a takeover offer.

The FTSE 100 looks set for a minor weekly gain of 0.1%.

Topping the FTSE 250 , Thomas Cook Group PLC shares rallied 14% after China's Fosun International Ltd. agreed to buy a 5% stake in the travel -ervices firm. (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ftse-100-wobbles-as-aviva-rises-admiral-falls-boe-statement-on-tap-2015-03-05)

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