FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Closes Lower

During the Christmas Eve session, marked by reduced trading hours and volume, the FTSE 100 index dipped by 0.2%, closing at 9,871. This decline was primarily driven by a drop in healthcare stocks. AstraZeneca and GSK both experienced a 0.5% fall, with Unilever also declining by 0.4%. Rolls-Royce saw a decrease of 0.9%, while Lloyds Bank dropped by 0.5%. Meanwhile, HSBC and Barclays ended the session with little change. Notably, BP's shares reversed earlier gains to close 0.4% lower following its decision to sell a 65% stake in Castrol to Stonepeak. In contrast, Anglo American's shares increased by 0.6%, benefiting from robust commodity prices.