FTSE 100 Index edged lower on Friday but is still on track for a weekly gain

The FTSE 100 Index was flat to lower on Friday, weighed down by mining and defense stocks. Antofagasta and Anglo American fell more than 1.5%, Glencore dropped around 1%, and Rio Tinto slipped 0.6%. Gold producers Fresnillo and Endeavour also declined by more than 1% as gold and silver prices hovered near one-year lows and copper prices fell to a four-month low. Defense and aerospace stocks softened, with Rolls-Royce down nearly 2% and both BAE Systems and Babcock falling over 1%. In contrast, oil giants Shell and BP rose more than 1%, supported by a rebound in crude oil prices after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could abandon a deal with Tehran, bringing renewed uncertainty to U.S.-Iran relations. Aviva shares climbed 2% after the insurer reaffirmed its three-year targets and reported increased inflows into its wealth division. Despite Friday's sluggish performance, the FTSE 100 Index still gained over 1.5% for the week.