(For a live blog on European stocks, type LIVE/ in an Eikon
news window)
* FTSE 100 up 0.6%, FTSE 250 up 0.5%
* Financials, Burberry lead gains for main bourse
* Avast slumps after No. 2 shareholder dumps stake
* Pension provider Just Group falls on results
Sept 4 (Reuters) - London's main index recovered on
Wednesday, as a report indicating possible resolution to the
Hong Kong protests lifted Asia-exposed stocks, while traders
pondered a Brexit delay vote after Prime Minister Boris Johnson
lost majority in parliament.
The FTSE index .FTSE was up 0.6% and the midcap index
.FTMC edged 0.5% higher by 0713 GMT, after falling in the
previous session amid growing possibilities of a snap election
in Britain that would bring new risks to Brexit.
Lawmakers defeated Johnson in parliament on Tuesday in a bid
to prevent a no-deal Brexit, prompting him to announce that he
would push for a snap election. Shares in Asia-focussed stocks including HSBC HSBA.L and
luxury brand Burberry BRBY.L rose about 2% following a report
that said Hong Kong's leader would announce the formal
withdrawal of a proposed extradition bill that is at the centre
of months of protests.
Avast AVST.L tumbled 5% to the bottom of the FTSE 250
after its second-biggest shareholder dissolved its entire stake
in the cybersecurity company, while small-cap specialist pension
provider Just Group JUSTJ.L slumped 10.1% after posting
results.