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* FTSE 100 up 0.5%, FTSE 250 up 0.2%
* Unilever ( UL ) jumps after lifting annual sales forecast
* Barclays ( BCS ) falls despite beating first-half profit estimates
* Energy stocks slide as oil prices drop over 2%
July 28 (Reuters) - London's main FTSE indexes edged higher
on Tuesday, supported by earnings-driven gains in
consumer-focused stocks, including Unilever ( UL ) and Man Group ( MNGPF ),
shrugging off pressure from declines in banks and energy shares.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 0.5% to 10,845.71
points by 0950 GMT, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 climbed
0.2%.
* Unilever ( UL ) jumped 6.8%, putting it on track for its
biggest one-day gain in two years, after the companyraised its
annual forecast and delivered its strongest quarterly volume
growth in more than a decade, as consumers continued to buy
brands such as Vaseline, Dove and Cif despite concerns over
household budgets.
* Coats jumped 7.1% to the top of the FTSE mid-cap
index after the thread maker reported higher first-half profit.
* Meanwhile, banks led sectoral declines,
falling 0.7% after Barclays ( BCS ) slipped 5.1% despite
reporting a better-than-expected 17% rise in first-half profit,
suggesting investors had already priced in robust results from
British banks.
* Energy stocks also fell 0.6% as oil prices
slid more than 2% as hopes for a resolution to the U.S.-Iran
conflict grew.
* Among individual stocks, Man Group ( MNGPF ) shares jumped
4.6% to their highest since 2010 after the hedge fund manager
posted a better-than-expected 11% half-yearly rise in assets
under management.
* Canal+ ( CNALF ) jumped 6.2% after the French pay-TV and
media group reported a slight rise in half-year revenue, as
growth in its legacy businesses offset a narrowing decline at
MultiChoice, the African broadcaster it acquired last year.
* Policy statements from the U.S. Federal Reserve and the
Bank of England will be watched later this week for hints on the
central banks' next likely moves.