FTSE ends lower after BoE; oils gain, Friends falls

* FTSE down 0.2 pct after BoE holds rates steady

* Friends Provident down after H1 earnings

* Smith & Nephew earnings please

* Oils track higher energy costs

By Michael Taylor

LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Britain's leading share index ended lower during a choppy session on Thursday as corporate updates offered a mixed picture, while higher crude prices helped buoy oil companies but raised inflation concerns.

The benchmark index was little affected by the Bank of England's holding interest rates at 5 percent for the fourth straight month. [ID:nL7103078]

The FTSE 100 .FTSE lost 8.6 points or 0.2 percent at 5,477.5 after gaining 0.6 percent in the previous session. The UK's bluechip index is now down 15.2 percent for the year to date.

"No change was by far the market consensus, despite the minutes from the previous meeting showing a three-way split," said Martin Slaney, head of derivatives at GFT Global Markets, referring to the BoE decision.  Continued...