(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock
markets, click  LIVE/  or type LIVE/ in a news window)

        * 
      FTSE 100 up 0.5%, FTSE 250 adds 0.1%
    

  
       May 26 (Reuters) - UK stocks advanced on Friday after
data showed retail sales unexpectedly rose in April,
highlighting resilience in consumer spending despite elevated
inflation, while Rio Tinto logged its best day in over a month
on a brokerage upgrade.
    Retail sales volumes rose 0.5% in April after a 1.2% fall in
March. The sales volumes over the three months to April grew by
the most since mid-2021, as per an official report. 
    The broader retail sector  .FTNMX404010  added 0.2%, led by
shares of ASOS Plc  ASOS.L .  
    The pound  GBP=D3  added 0.1% after the data.
    The blue-chip FTSE 100  .FTSE  rose 0.5%, but was set to
record its worst week in over a month as an unexpected rise in
domestic inflation and U.S. debt ceiling uncertainties strained
sentiment.
    Rio Tinto  RIO.L  jumped 3.6% after brokerage Morgan Stanley
turned bullish on the miner.
    AstraZeneca Plc  AZN.L  added 0.9% after the drugmaker said
a combination of its cancer drugs when added to chemotherapy
showed positive results in a late-stage trial in patients with
advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.
    The FTSE 250  .FTMC  also added 0.1% by 7:10 GMT.

 (Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by
Shailesh Kuber)
 ((johann.mcherian@thomsonreuters.com;))
 
(( 
For related prices, Reuters users may click on - * 
 UK stock report      .L     
 FTSE index:          0#.FTS6  
 techMARK 100 index:  .FTT1X          FTSE futures:      0#FFI:  
 Gilt futures:        0#FLG:          Smallcap index:     .FTSC  
 FTSE 250 index:      .FTMC           FTSE 350 index:     .FTLC  
 Market digest:       .AD.L           Top 10 by vol:      .AV.L  
 Top price gainers:   .NG.L           Top % gainers:      .PG.L  
 Top price losers:    .NL.L           Top % losers:       .PL.L  
 
 
 * For related news, click on - *
 UK hot stocks:       HOT  and  GB      Wall Street:           .N 
 Gilts report:        GB/             Euro bond report  GVD/EUR 
 Pan European stock report:  .EU 
 Tokyo stocks:        .T              HK stocks:            .HK 
 Sterling report:     GBP/            Dollar report:       USD/ 
 
 
 * For company prices, click on - *
 Company directory:   UKEQ           By sector:           FTAX  
 
 
 * For pan-European market data, click on - *
 European Equities speed guide................  EUR/EQUITY  
 FTSE Eurotop 300 index...........................  .FTEU3  
 DJ STOXX index...................................  .STOXX  
 Top 10 STOXX sectors........................  .PGL.STOXXS  
 Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors...................  .PGL.STOXXES  
 Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors..................  .PGL.FTEU3S  
 Top 25 European pct gainers....................  .PG.PEUR  
 Top 25 European pct losers.....................  .PL.PEUR ))