BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks traded lower on Friday
after official data showed retail sales declined more than expected in April as
a result of poor weather.

The retail sales volume dropped 2.3 percent on a monthly basis, following a
revised 0.2 percent drop in March, the Office for National Statistics said.
Economists had forecast a 0.5 percent drop for April.

On a yearly basis, retail sales decreased 2.7 percent, in contrast to the 0.4
percent increase in March.

The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 31 points, or 0.4 percent, at 8,307 after
falling 0.4 percent in the previous session.

GSK edged up slightly after a court in Illinois ruled in favor of the British
drugs giant in the first Zantac case to go to trial.

Investment company abrdn was moving lower on news that CEO Stephen Bird will
step down after four years in the role.

Intertek Group rose about 2 percent. The company backed its full-year
expectations after a strong start to the year with 7 percent growth in
like-for-like revenue.



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