Britain's FTSE 100 index of leading shares ended 0.32 percent lower on Friday in thin year-end volume, dragged down by lacklustre oil and banking stocks, according to Reuters. Heavily weighted BP and Shell both fell as mild winter weather looked set to lead the oil market to its first annual decline since 2001. Volumes were thin in half-day trade for the London Stock Exchange which closed at 1230 GMT ahead of the New Year break, with many investors absent from equity markets amid a sparse economic and corporate calendar. "It's like watching paint dry ... Nobody's wanting to make a huge bet just ahead of the year-end," said Andrew Bell, equity strategist at Rensburg Sheppards.
