London Stocks End Ahead; FTSE Closes Above 6500

1650 GMT [Dow Jones] FTSE 100 finishes 0.3% higher at 6503.63. This is the first time the index has closed above 6500 since December 2007. Overall, though, the session has been a lackluster one. Most miners underperform following downbeat Chinese economic data; Evraz falls 2.5%, Kazakhmys declines 2.3%. Sage Group also retreats, down 2.2% following a rating downgrade. Tuesday, UK manufacturing and industrial production are due at 0930 GMT; domestic economic data will get more than a cursory glance this week ahead of Chancellor Osborne's 2013 Budget Report on March 20. IG analyst Chris Beauchamp notes the pound has slipped below $1.4900, with no letup in sight in the current downtrend.

(andrea.tryphonides@dowjones.com Twitter: @ATryphonides) Contact us in London. +44-20-7842-9464 Markettalk.eu@ dowjones.com

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  03-11-131325ET
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