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* FTSE 100 up 0.4%, FTSE 250 adds 0.3%
April 30 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 edged higher on
Friday, boosted by earnings updates from AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) and Smurfit
Kappa, while optimism around a speedy recovery from pandemic-led
crash set the blue-chip index for its biggest monthly gain since
November 2020.
The FTSE 100 index .FTSE rose 0.4%, with AstraZeneca
AZN.L gaining 2.6% after it forecast higher sales in the
second half of the year. UK-listed shares of Europe's largest paper packaging
producer Smurfit Kappa Group SKG.L jumped 2.7% after it posted
6% increase in first-quarter revenue on strong packaging demand.
The index was further supported by tobacco makers British
American Tobacco BATS.L and Imperial Brands IMB.L which rose
after their peer Swedish Match SWMA.ST reported upbeat
quarterly profit. The domestically focused midcap FTSE 250 index .FTMC
advanced 0.3%. Both the indexes have gained nearly 4% each in
April and are tracking their third consecutive monthly gain so
far this year.