(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock

markets, click or type LIVE/ in a news window)

June 19 (Reuters) - UK shares were largely flat on Friday as

U.S.-Iran peace talks in Switzerland were called off, keeping

risk appetite in check, though gains in energy and healthcare

stocks lent support.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index was down 5.40 points,

or 0.05%, at 10,394.30 by 0948 GMT, while the domestically

focused FTSE 250 midcap index fell 0.5% to 23,210.43,

and remained on track for a weekly drop.

* Miners weighed on the index, with Anglo American

down 2.2%, Glencore ( GLCNF ) off 1.5% and Rio Tinto 1.1%

lower.

* Global shares fell, while oil prices got a boost after

Washington and Tehran called off peace talks, which traders had

hoped would ease supply risks around the Strait of Hormuz.

* Meanwhile, Labour mayor Andy Burnham cleared a path on

Friday to ousting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer,

potentially ushering in a new bout of political instability.

* "The strength of his (Burnham's) mandate may determine how

far he might go with anything one might call a market-unfriendly

approach - i.e., higher borrowing, redistributive wealth taxes,

etc," said Saxo UK Investor Strategist Neil Wilson.

* British government bond yields rose to a one-week high

increasing slightly more than those for German debt, after

higher-than-expected borrowing numbers and Burnham's election

victory.

* Energy stocks were the main source of support. BP

rose 1.7% and Shell gained 1.0%, as Brent crude held

near $79.50 a barrel.

* AstraZeneca ( AZN ) added 1.3%, leading healthcare names

higher, while GSK gained 0.9%.

* British insurer Admiral Group slipped 5% after

RBC downgraded the stock to "sector perform" ahead of results.

* Barratt Redrow ( BTDPF ) named former British Airways

finance chief Rebecca Napier as its new chief financial officer.

The homebuilder's shares dropped 0.5%.

* Entain ( GMVHF ) shares ticked higher after Reuters reported

the Ladbrokes-owner has begun exploring options for its joint

venture in Central and Eastern Europe, including a possible

sale.