BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks were flat to slightly higher on Friday after data showed retail sales recovered at a faster than expected pace in January.
Retail sales volume grew 1.9 percent month-on-month, in contrast to the revised 4 percent decline in December. This was also faster than the expected growth of 1.0 percent. On a yearly basis, overall retail sales advanced 9.1 percent, reversing a 1.7 percent fall in December.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 10 points, or 0.1 percent, at 7,547, with lingering Russia-Ukraine tensions capping the upside.
Miners Anglo American, Antofagasta and Glencore were all up around half a percent.
Kingspan Group, an Irish building materials company, advanced 1.4 percent after its fiscal 2021 profit climbed 48 percent.
Bank holding company NatWest Group tumbled 3.4 percent after warning of uncertain economic outlook.
Multinational cinema operator Cineworld lost 2.5 percent. The company said it has reached an agreement with creditors over a disputed and delayed repayment.
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