Pound hit by UK services survey

(Close): The pound pulled back from a near seven-year euro high after a survey indicated that growth in the UK's service sector slowed last month.

The Markit/CIPS UK services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 56.7, from 57.2 in January.

The figure was below forecasts, but a reading above 50 indicates expansion and Markit said it showed the sector was continuing to see strong growth.

The pound had climbed above €1.38 at one point, but fell back to €1.3787.

Against the dollar, the pound was down 0.62% at $1.52680.

The FTSE 100 recovered from momentum lost in the morning, and ended the day up 30.11 points at 6,919.24.

Fresnillo was the biggest faller, dropping more than 8% after it reported a 40% drop in annual profits to $251.1m. The precious metals miner has been affected by the fall in gold and silver prices.

Legal & General reported a 10% rise in operating profits for 2014, but this fell short of expectations and its shares dropped 3.6%.

ITV rose 5.7% after the broadcaster reported a big rise in annual profits and also announced a £250m special dividend for shareholders.

Standard Chartered's shares climbed 5.1%, despite it reporting a 30% drop in full-year pre-tax profits.

In the FTSE 250, shares in bakery chain Greggs rose by more than 10% after the company's full-year pre-tax profits jumped by nearly 50% to £49.7m. Revenues were up more than 5% to nearly £804m.

Greggs said recent trading had been good, with sales at stores open at least a year up 6.3% in the first eight weeks of 2015.