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* FTSE 100 down 0.2 pct
* Pearson rises after sells FT Group to Japan's Nikkei
* Unilever, Kingfisher see improved sales (Adds detail, closing prices)
By Alistair Smout and Liisa Tuhkanen
LONDON, July 23 (Reuters) - Britain's top share index edgedlower on Thursday, hit by weak earnings reports from AberdeenAsset Management and SSE, Pearson rallied after it saidit had agreed to sell the FT Group to Japan's Nikkei.
Aberdeen Asset Management tumbled 7.6 percent,touching its lowest levels in over a year after the emergingmarkets-focused fund manager said it saw net outflows of 9.9billion pounds ($15.5 billion) in the last quarter.
"Management blames 'market conditions and FX movements' and'low margin outflows from certain fixed income products' for alarge proportion of the decline," said Mike van Dulken, head ofresearch at Accendo.
"Furthermore, the outlook looks little to get excitedabout."
SSE, Britain's second-biggest energy supplier,dropped 5 percent after saying it expected lower profits fromits retail business this year.
Britain's FTSE 100 was down 12.33 points, 0.2percent lower at 6,655.01 at the close.
Among gainers, Pearson was up 2.1 percent afterJapan's Nikkei publishing group agreed to buy the FT Group,which produces the Financial Times newspaper, from the Britishpublisher for 844 million pounds ($1.3 billion) in cash.
"This transaction will be a positive move for Pearson eventhough they would be selling a strong asset and brand," saidAtif Latif, director at Guardian Stockbrokers.
"Pearson can focus on the educational side of the businessthat has been struggling and look to start to manage that moreefficiently."
Unilever rose 1.6 percent after it reportedhigher-than-expected quarterly sales, driven by gains in itshome and personal care units.
Kingfisher also gained on results, rising 2 percentafter Europe's largest home improvements retailer postedstronger sales growth in both Britain and France in its latestquarter, helped by soft comparative figures in the previousyear.
Shire ended a see-saw session up 3.2 percent. Although itfell after reporting earnings that were below expectations, itrecovered in afternoon trade having raised its full-yearoutlook.
The FTSE hit new two-week lows, extending falls from theprevious session after a poorly received earnings report fromApple hit tech stocks while weaker metals pricesdragged down miners.
Chipmaker ARM Holdings was the top gainer on theblue-chip index on Thursday, up 4.6 percent as it recovered fromthe more than two-year lows hit on Wednesday after thedisappointing forecast from Apple, which is a major customer. (Editing by Ralph Boulton)
