United Kingdom stocks experienced a decline on Monday, following the release of official data indicating that the U.K. economy grew at a slower-than-expected pace in the second quarter. This slowdown was attributed to weaker performance in the industrial and construction sectors.
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 0.5 percent from the first quarter, a revision from the initial estimate of 0.6 percent, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.
On a more positive note, the Nationwide House Price Index revealed that U.K. house prices resumed growth in September, with the index rising 3.2 percent year-on-year.
The FTSE 100, the primary benchmark for UK blue-chip stocks, dropped by 45 points or half a percent, settling at 8,275, after rising by 0.4 percent on Friday.
Energy companies BP Plc and Shell showed modest gains as oil prices surged due to concerns over escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Private equity and venture capital firm 3i Group saw a decline of 2.4 percent following reports that short-seller Shadowfall Capital had taken a multimillion-pound short position against the company.
Meanwhile, telecom giant Vodafone Group registered a slight decrease after announcing an update on the sale of its Italian operations to Swisscom AG.
