UK stocks : FTSE 100 closes down 0.1 pct
Britain's top share index was modestly lower on Friday, volatile on the last day of the month, mirroring its November performance as U.S. budget concerns dominated.
The FTSE 100 closed down 3.48 points, or 0.1 percent at 5,866.82, dropping back late on after hitting a 6-week high above the 5,900 level earlier in the session.
Profit-taking in heavyweight mining stocks after recent strong gains was the main factor dragging the UK blue chips lower late on.
"This is the season to be jolly (almost) and markets are likely to continue to climb this 'wall of worry' for a while yet. But I have to wonder if they will enjoy the view once they reach the top - or decide it really wasn't worth the effort and climb straight back down again," said Mike Ingram, market analyst at BGC Brokers.
The UK blue-chip index still ended 1.5 percent higher for November, notching up a sixth consecutive monthly gain, albeit having swung through a near 200-point range during the month.
Index provider FTSE said the last time the index rose consecutively for 6 months or more, was over the 6 months to November 2005.
The index hit a low of 5,605 on Nov.16 after U.S. election results raised concerns about an impending "fiscal cliff".
This is a combination of U.S. government spending cuts and tax rises due to be implemented under existing law in early 2013 that may tip the economy back into recession.
The FTSE 100 tracked falls on Wall Street on Friday, with U.S. blue chips down
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