British stocks down 1.54 pct Friday

LONDON, July 31 (Xinhua) -- British stocks decreased on Friday, with the benchmark FTSE 100 Index down by 1.54 percent, or 92.23 points, to close at 5,897.76 points.

Land Securities Group, a commercial property development and investment company, soared 3.19 percent, the top gainer of the blue chips. Avast and 3i Group increased by 2.86 percent and 2.44 percent, respectively.

International Consolidated Airlines Group, an Anglo-Spanish multinational airline holding company, was the worst performer in the blue chips, with its shares losing 9.00 percent. BT Group, a British multinational telecommunications holding company, dropped 8.60 percent. Rolls-Royce Holdings, a British-based engineering company, fell 5.58 percent.