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FTSE 100 down 0.1%, FTSE 250 up 0.5%

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Entain ( GMVHF ) rises after Jefferies upgrade

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Women's soccer, hot weather boost UK retail sales in July

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US job growth nearly stalls in August

(Updates after market close)

Sept 5 (Reuters) -

Britain's FTSE 100 closed lower on Friday, dragged down by

energy and bank stocks, while investors assessed domestic and

U.S. economic data.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 was 0.1% lower on the day but

ended the week marginally higher.

The domestically focused FTSE 250 closed 0.5% higher

but logged its second straight weekly decline.

In the market, the homebuilders' index rose,

led by Berkeley, up 3% after reaffirming its profit

forecast for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

Peers Vistry, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey

and Barratt Redrow ( BTDPF ) also advanced.

Precious metal miners and industrial miners

rose, tracking higher gold and copper prices,

respectively.

Conversely, energy stocks fell 2.4% and

weighed on the FTSE 100, with giants Shell and BP

down 2.2% and 2.6%, respectively.

Heavyweight bank stocks fell and top lenders

HSBC ( HSBC ), NatWest ( NWG ), Barclays ( BCS ), and Lloyds

were among the biggest laggards on the benchmark index.

Non-life insurers fell, dragged by Admiral

Group's 2.9% decline, top loser on FTSE 100, after Peel

Hunt downgraded the stock to "sell" from "reduce".

In other moves, Entain ( GMVHF ) rose 3.3%, to top the FTSE

100, after Jefferies raised price target on the betting company.

Ashmore fell 4.3% after the asset manager reported

lower-than-expected fee revenue and a dip in profit in its

annual results.

Concerns over Britain's finances and the government's

ability to keep them under control weighed on the markets

earlier this week, briefly sending yields on long-dated

government bonds to a 27-year high.

Investors continue to speculate about tax rises that could

dampen economic growth, with Britain set to deliver its budget

on November 26.

On the data front, retail sales rose more than expected in

July.

In the U.S., data showed job growth weakened sharply in

August and the unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, confirming labour

market conditions were softening and sealing the case for an

interest-rate cut from the Federal Reserve this month.

British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner

resigned

after saying she deeply regretted her mistake of

underpaying property tax on a new home.