* FTSE 100 down 0.1%, FTSE 250 up 0.4%
* Tobacco cos, drugmakers lead losses on main index
* NMC up after hiking FY forecast
* Galliford gains after snubbing Bovis' offer for units
* Thomas Cook surges after Berenberg ups rating
(Adds news items, analyst comment, updates share prices)
By Shashwat Awasthi
May 28 (Reuters) - A drop in blue-chip tobacco stocks after
a report showing declining cigarette volumes and losses in
pharmaceutical giants was enough to offset gains in mining
heavyweights and push London's main stock index into the red on
Tuesday.
The FTSE 100 .FTSE was 0.1% lower, while the mid-cap FTSE
250 .FTMC rose 0.4%.
British American Tobacco BATS.L and Imperial Brands
IMB.L were among the biggest drags on the main index after
data from Nielsen showed cigarette industry volumes deteriorated
in the four weeks to May 18. AstraZeneca AZN.L snapped a four-day winning streak and
rival GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L also fell after rising for the
last three sessions.
The drugmakers gave up more than 2% each, and offset a rise
in miners that had capitalised on China's iron ore prices
hitting record highs earlier on Tuesday. IRONORE/
The session's trading came against the backdrop of continued
uncertainty over China's trade dispute with the United States,
after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was not ready
to make a deal with Beijing but that he expected one in the
future.
"News here, rumours there – not a lot for markets to really
hang their hats on right now," Markets.com analyst Neil Wilson
said.
In a news-driven move, healthcare provider NMC Health
NMC.L advanced 7.5% on its best day in more than six months
after hiking its 2019 revenue and core earnings targets.
Brexit-sensitive stocks such as retailers, which took a hit
last week ahead of Prime Minister Theresa May's announcement
that she would resign, also recouped some losses.
"The UK is sort of stuck in limbo, unable to fully move
forward with anything Brexit-related until the next PM is
found," Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell said.
Shares of mid-cap builder Galliford GFRD.L , one of those
to have suffered from the collapse of major government
contractor Carillion last year, were up 3.6%. They had earlier
surged as much as 8.2% after news emerged of a rebuffed offer
for two of its units from Bovis Homes BVS.L . Tour operator Thomas Cook TCG.L , hammered last week by
worries over its cashflow and summer sales, climbed more than
21% on its best day since early December, after Berenberg raised
its rating to "hold" from "sell", citing bids the company has
said it has received for its airline unit. "The deterioration in Thomas Cook's financial position
leaves the company looking for a white knight to pay a fairly
punchy multiple for the airline," Berenberg analysts wrote.
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