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London's main benchmark fell as investors reacted to official data that showed that UK earnings and job creation slowed in the three months to August Reuters

London stocks slipped in afternoon trading as investors reacted to official data that showed UK earnings and job creation slowed in the three months to August.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) employment was up 106,000 in the latest quarter to a record 31.8 million, but this was down from 174,000 in the three months to July.

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Average earnings increased by 2.3% in the year to August, although this was 0.1% lower than the previous month.

The FTSE 100 Index fell 12.6 points to 6987.4, as the employment data follows yesterday's ONS figures showing that the cost of living jumped to 1% in September, from 0.6% inflation rate in August.

IG chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp said: "Stock markets in the UK and Europe are weaker this morning, indicating that bullish sentiment remains brittle."

Travis Perkins was one of the biggest fallers in the top flight after the builder's merchant announced it will close 30 branches in the UK and Ireland, affecting as many as 600 employees.

It said the move would lead to one-time restructuring charges of between £40m and £50m ($49m-$61m), and that trading conditions at its plumbing and heating units had "worsened". Shares tumbled more than 7%, or 106p to 1382p.

In afternoon trading the biggest risers in the FTSE 100 Index were Capita (+16p to 619p), Persimmon (+41p to 1762p), Randgold Resources (+160p to 7120p), Burberry Group (+28p to 1431p) and Taylor Wimpey (+3p to 149.6p).

The biggest fallers in the FTSE 100 Index were Travis Perkins (+106p to 1382p), Reckitt Benckiser (-201p to 7126p), BT (-5.4p to 379.3p), Vodafone (-3.1p to 223.1p) and Aviva (-6p to 434.2p).

In afternoon trading the biggest risers in the FTSE 250 Index were Computacenter (+48.5p to 754p), Crest Nicholson (+19.6p to 427.5p), Cineworld (+24p to 580p), Bellway (+102p to 2488p), and Rentokil Initial (+8.8p to 234.2p).

The biggest fallers in the FTSE 250 Index were Laird (-146.3p to 162.2p), SIG (-4.1p to 112.8p), Auto Trader Group (-10.5p to 371.5p), N Brown (-5.3p to 188.7p) and OneSavings Bank (-7.5p to 268.5p).

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