UPDATE 2-Britain's FTSE 100 steady, Sino-U.S. trade talks back in focus

* FTSE 100 up 0.1%, FTSE 250 down 0.1%
* Defensive healthcare stocks rise
* Asia-focussed financial stocks limit gains
* Retailers fall after downbeat consumer spend view
* Negative rating actions bog down Drax , Dixons

(Adds news items, analyst comments, updates to closing prices)
By Shashwat Awasthi
June 24 (Reuters) - London's main index edged up on Monday
as gains in defensive stocks such as healthcare were balanced by
pressure on Asia-focussed banks, with Sino-U.S. trade talks once
again set to take centre stage at this week's G20 summit.
The FTSE 100 .FTSE eked out a 0.1% gain, outperforming the
broader European index, which fell on poor German economic data,
and as a profit warning from Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler
DAIGn.DE triggered a sell-off in the region's carmakers.
The mid-cap FTSE 250 .FTMC shed 0.1%, driven in part by a
weak sterling, with traders seemingly reluctant to bet on the
currency until the Conservative Party leadership contest
concludes.
"I think global markets generally are in a bit of a holding
pattern ahead of all-critical G20 meeting," Raymond James
analyst Chris Bailey said.
Investors will be watching intently on the outcome of
President Donald Trump's upcoming meeting with Chinese
counterpart Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Japan, which could
very well influence the course of a protracted trade war that
has roiled the global economy.
Ahead of the meeting, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang
Shouwen said both countries should make compromises in trade
talks, after negotiations broke down last month. "The absence of confrontational rhetoric over the last
fortnight ahead of G20 talks... may have enabled a higher
ceiling for sentiment. Nerves remain though," Cityindex analyst
Ken Odeluga said.
HSBC HSBA.L and Standard Chartered STAN.L were among the
biggest drags on the main index, offsetting advances in
healthcare firms AstraZeneca AZN.L and GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L
- considered among safer bets in uncertain times.
Admiral Group ADML.L was among the biggest gainers on the
FTSE 100, adding 3.2%, after Barclays upgraded the insurer's
rating by two notches.
Shares of retailers and supermarket chains slipped, however,
after a forecast showed consumer spending in Britain this year
would grow at its slowest rate in six years. Sainsbury SBRY.L shed 4.2%, Kigfisher KGF.L and Marks &
Spencer MKS.L lost about 2.5%, and Tesco TSCO.L dropped
2.2%.
On the mid-cap index, power producer Drax DRX.L lost 5.2%
as Citigroup cut its price target on the stock and said it saw
no reason to turn more constructive given the current commodity
price outlook.
Dixons Carphone DC.L fell 3.7% as last week's
disappointing annual results prompted further rating downgrades
of Britain's biggest seller of electricals and mobile phones.