THE FTSE 100 Index closed 9.1 points lower at 6574.3, losing ground after a positive start when shares were lifted by more upbeat news from China.

Figures showed industrial production in the world’s second-biggest economy rose last month, while there were also better car sales. The data lifted sentiment in Asian markets, despite disappointing figures from Japan showing economic growth for the second quarter of the year had been revised downwards to 2.6 per cent.

Mining firms were riding high on hopes they will benefit from rising Chinese demand, with silver miner Fresnillo topping the FTSE 100 movers board, climbing 68p to 1103p, a rise of more than six per cent. Randgold Resources rose 119p to 4841p and Vedanta Resources was up 24p to 1266p.

Royal Bank of Scotland was up 3.9p to 329.5p and Lloyds Banking Group rose 0.38p to 75.49p.

Other heavyweight risers included G4S, which was up 8.6p to 244.1p, while pharmaceuticals company AstraZeneca climbed 36p to 3271p.

The Prudential performed well after reporting more booming growth in Asian economies. It said its successful pursuit of Asia’s expanding and increasingly- wealthy middle class helped offset a UK market in flux as it adjusts to new rules about charging for advice and encouraging staff to join pension plans. Shares in the group, which makes almost half of its new life sales in Asia, advanced 48p to 1232p as it hiked its dividend 16 per cent and said rising demand in Asia would continue to drive growth this year.

Budget airline easyJet was the heaviest top tier faller, shedding 3.6 per cent, or 49p to 1328p, as investors took profits after a strong run. That dragged British Airways owner International Airlines Group 11.3p lower to 312.2p.