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* FTSE 100 up 0.08%, FTSE 250 up 0.1%

* easyJet gains on Apollo's 5.7 billion-pound takeover bid

* Vodafone ( VOD ) jumped after e& said it would sell its stake for

almost $6 billion

July 10 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 inched up on Friday,

supported by deal-driven gains in Vodafone ( VOD ) and easyJet, though

Middle East tensions kept a lid on further upside.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 0.08% to 10,480.31

points by 1053 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 gained

0.1%. However, both indexes remained on track to post weekly

losses.

* Vodafone ( VOD ) jumped 12.6% to the top of the FTSE 100

after the UAE telecoms group e& said it would sell its

stake in the British telecoms company to the family investment

vehicle of French billionaire Xavier Niel in a deal valued at

nearly $6 billion.

* easyJet rose 14.5% to top the FTSE 250 after the

budget carrier agreed in principle to a 5.7 billion-pound ($7.65

billion) takeover approach from Apollo Global, helping travel

and leisure stocks lead sectoral gains, up 1.6%.

* Industrial metal miners followed, gaining

0.8%, with Atalaya Mining, Antofagasta ( ANFGF ) and Rio

Tinto rising between 1.4% and 1.8%.

* Renewed Middle East tensions weighed on investor sentiment

after Iranian forces attacked U.S. military infrastructure in

Gulf states, further undermining a three-week-old ceasefire and

raising uncertainty over the conflict's trajectory.

* Investment banks and brokerages fell 0.8%,

with St. James's Place among the FTSE 100's worst

performers, sliding 8.7% following a report that Sovereign

Wealth - one of the money manager's largest partner firms - was

in talks to join a Swedish wealth management group.

* Shares of Hays rose 13.8% after the recruiter

said it expects annual operating profit at the top end of market

expectations, helped by cost cuts and improved consultant

productivity.

* On the political front, Andy Burnham moved closer to

becoming Britain's next prime minister after securing

overwhelming backing from Labour lawmakers, putting him in a

strong position to succeed Keir Starmer.