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FTSE 100 up 0.1%, FTSE 250 off 0.1%
April 5 (Reuters) - UK's benchmark FTSE 100 edged higher in early deals on Wednesday as investors awaited data on the services sector, expected to steady in March after struggling with surging inflation and slowing economic growth for months.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 inched up 0.1% by 0707 GMT, while the domestically focussed FTSE 250 index slipped 0.1%. A Reuters poll of economists said UK services sector activity is seen expanding in March but at the same pace as a month earlier.
Earlier this week, data showed British manufacturers slipped
deeper into decline in March but turned more optimistic about
the future as cost pressures and supply chain problems eased
off.
Focus will also be on the U.S. private jobs data due later.
Wall Street closed lower on Tuesday after data showed U.S. job
openings in February dropped to the lowest level in nearly two
years, fuelling concerns about a potential recession.
Direct Line climbed 4.4% after Citigroup double
upgraded the motor insurer's stock to "buy" from "sell".
(Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita
Bhattacharjee)
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