By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. stocks ended a choppy day close to
the flat line on Wednesday as concern remained among investors that
Scotland will vote for its independence at a referendum next
week.
The FTSE 100 index closed marginally higher at 6,830.11, after
three days mired in the red.
Scotland jitters: The London benchmark has been hit by fears
that Scots will vote to leave the United Kingdom at the
independence referendum on Sept. 18. A poll over the weekend showed
the pro-independence camp was in the lead for the first time,
awakening the world to the scenario that Scotland could leave the
union. In other recent polls, the outcome has been too close to
tell.
Several British parliament members have called on the Queen to
intervene to help keep the U.K. together, but the monarch in the
Times on Wednesday warned politicians not to drag her into the
battle.
The pound (GBPUSD) took a beating earlier in the week on the
Scottish fears, but recovered slightly on Wednesday to trade at
$1.6133, up from $1.6116 late Tuesday in New York.
Movers: Sports Direct International PLC lost 1.7% after the
retailer said sales in the first quarter were impacted by England's
"disappointing" World Cup performance.
Barratt Developments PLC climbed 2.8% after the house builder
said full-year pretax profit more than tripled.
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