Mines push FTSE down

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The benchmark FTSE 100 ended Thursday down 5 points at 4,519.50 after UK stocks fell, paced by mining companies on concerns slowing demand from China will hurt profits.

Antofagasta, which has three mines in Chile, dropped 33p to 950p. Xstrata, the world's fourth-largest coal exporter, lost 18p to 642p. BHP Billiton, one of the world's largest mining companies, shed 2% to 449.5p. ICI lost 6.75p to 217.25p after the chemical maker said the outlook for raw-material costs is "uncertain". Amstrad, a maker of consumer electronics, rose 9p to 185.5p. GlaxoSmithKline jumped 33p to 1,157p after the drugmaker said first-quarter net income dropped 5.6% from the year-ago period to £1.12bn. PPL Therapeutics, a biotechnology firm, added 0.38 penny t...

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