British stocks decreased on Thursday, with the benchmark FTSE 100 Index down by 0.51 percent, or 37.48 points, to close at 7,350.32 points.

HSBC Holdings, a multinational banking and financial services holding company, soared 4.24 percent, the top gainer of the blue chips. Sky and Rio Tinto increased by 3.29 percent and 2.44 percent, respectively.

The British software and information technology business Micro Focus International was the worst performer in the blue chips, with its shares losing 3.79 percent. Shire, a global specialty biopharmaceutical company, dropped 3.36 percent. A Mexican-based precious metals mining company Fresnillo, fell 3.34 percent.