FTSE 100 Declines As Retail Sales Growth Slows

(RTTNews) - U.K. stocks declined on Tuesday after data from the British Retail Consortium showed British retail sales growth slowed to a seven-month low in May as a result of rising food costs.

The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 39 points, or half a percent, at 7,561 after finishing marginally lower on Monday.

N Brown Group plunged 15 percent after it swung to a pre-tax loss in the fiscal 2023 in a "challenging" market.

Paragon Banking Group surged 8.5 percent after upgrading its FY23 guidance and launching a second 50.0-million-pound ($62.2 million) share buyback program for the year.

British American Tobacco edged down slightly despite backing its annual outlook. Primark owner Associated British Foods was also moving lower after it agreed to buy dairy technology firm National Milk Records for £48m.