FTSE ends down on weak commodities

By Michael Taylor

LONDON (Reuters) - The leading share index ended down almost 1 percent on Friday, dragged lower by oil and metal stocks as commodity prices plunged while services group Rentokil soared after a management revamp.

The FTSE 100 .FTSE was 50.4 points or 0.9 percent down at 5,495.2 in a lacklustre trading session ahead of the four-day Easter break.

The UK benchmark index has lost nearly 15 percent this year and is on course for its worst three-monthly loss since the third quarter of 2002.

On the economic front, data showed that consumers bought more than expected at British stores in February, boosting chances the central bank will leave interest rates unchanged in April.

Shares in clothing retailer Next (NXT.L) tacked on 3.7 percent on the positive sentiment, traders said.

A Reuters poll, however, showed the Bank of England (BoE) is nearly certain to cut rates by May and the chances of a cut next month have risen as the bank tries to head off economic and financial turmoil.

In sectors, miners were the worst hit as metal prices fell, with gold down as much as 4 percent to a one-month low after investors took profits in the face of the rising dollar.

Vedanta Resources (VED.L) slumped 5.4 percent, while Antofagasta (ANTO.L) shed 6.7 percent and Anglo American (AAL.L) dropped 8.1 percent.