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FTSE 100 down 0.2%, FTSE 250 adds 0.5%
Feb 23 (Reuters) - The FTSE 100 index fell on Thursday, as banking and healthcare majors traded ex-dividend, but the losses were limited by a surge in Rolls-Royce after it reported higher profit. Some banks, including Barclays and Standard Chartered , and healthcare majors AstraZeneca and GSK traded without an entitlement for dividend payout. The blue-chip FTSE 100 was down 0.2% at 0823 GMT, and was set for its third straight day of declines.
Engineering firm Rolls-Royce surged 15.1% after the company's CEO forecast more profit growth in 2023 after last year's profit beat expectations.
The domestically-inclined FTSE 250 midcap index rose 0.5%, with John Wood Group Plc jumping 32.3% to the top of the index.
The oilfield services and engineering firm said it received and rejected takeover proposals from Apollo Global Management. (Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V)
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