FTSE 100: Disappointing Chinese data drags down blue-chips Late on Thursday, London's leading shares had surged ahead as rumours did the rounds that China would post strong economic growth data on Friday. In fact, China's figures proved weaker than expected, sending the FTSE 100 down 29.9 points to 5680. But miners, generally a bellwether of market attitudes towards China, remained fairly unruffled given that the country is still growing, albeit at a slower rate. Rio Tinto added 0.4pc and Xstrata put on 0.2pc. "The rumours about China GDP proved to have been entirely misinformed ... but (China) remains on the steady glide path towards a soft landing," said Ian Williams, equity strategist at Peel Hunt. "The monthly data showed fixed investment slowing to +21 percent year-on-year but retail sales at +15 percent yr/yr and industrial output +12 percent yr/yr both picked up in March, hence a generally sanguine market reaction," he said. Having been pegged back on Thursday as Royal Dutch Shell investigated a "sheen" discovered in the water near its offshore wells in the Gulf of Mexico, the oil giant on Friday rallied 0.3pc. Shell had calmed investors' nerves by saying that the sheen was estimated to total about six barrels of oil and that its facilities showed no signs of leaks. Sage tracked the market lower, sliding 2.3pc after Jefferies cut its rating on the accountancy software business to "hold" from "buy." Slipping back too were financial stocks, with insurer Admiral sinking 2.5pc. Hedge fund manager Man Group shed 2pc. Royal Bank of Scotland fell 1.9pc.