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* FTSE 100 up 0.1%, FTSE 250 down 0.5%
* N. Ireland's DUP says cannot back current Brexit deal
* Grafton tumbles after profit alert, drags peers lower
Oct 17 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 250 slid on Thursday after
Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) cast fresh
doubts over the prospects of a Brexit deal, while shares of
Grafton and rival building materials distributors were hammered
after a profit warning.
The FTSE 250 .FTMC , up more than 3% since last week amid a
flurry of contrasting Brexit headlines, shed 0.5% after the DUP,
which supports Boris Johnson's minority government, said it
could not back the Brexit deal as it currently stands.
Shares of Grafton GFTU_u.L slid 10% after it warned on its
annual profit, while peers Travis Perkins TPK.L , Howden
Joinery HWDN.L and SIG SHI.L gave up between 2.3% and 6%.
The FTSE 100 .FTSE edged 0.1% higher by 0714 GMT, helped
by gains in Unilever ULVR.L after its quarterly update and as
other exporter firms rose due to a weaker pound.