LONDON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- British stocks decreased on Thursday, with the benchmark FTSE 100 Index down 29.18 points, or 0.40 percent, at 7,252.39 points.

Centrica, the British multinational utility company, soared 7.53 percent, the top gainer of the blue chips. Barclays and NMC Health rose by 4.40 percent and 3.24 percent, respectively.

Barratt Developments, the British residential property development company, was the worst performer in the blue chips, with its shares losing 2.75 percent. BAE Systems, a British multinational defence, security, and aerospace company, dropped 2.73 percent. TUI, the multinational travel and tourism company, dropped 2.15 percent. Enditem