British stocks down 0.61 pct Friday

LONDON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- British stocks decreased on Friday, with the benchmark FTSE 100 Index down by 0.61 percent, or 36.42 points, to close at 5,963.57 points.

Polymetal International, a precious metals mining company, soared 4.54 percent, the top gainer of the blue chips. Whitbread and Fresnillo increased by 2.93 percent and 2.85 percent, respectively.

Rolls-Royce Holdings, a UK-based engineering company, was the worst performer in the blue chips, with its shares losing 3.56 percent. Melrose Industries, a London-based company that specialises in buying and improving underperforming businesses, dropped 3.51 percent. DS Smith, a British-based international packaging business, fell 3.07 percent.