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* FTSE 100 up 0.5%, FTSE 250 up 0.4%
* Shell, BP offer biggest support
* Lloyds drops after suspending buyback
* Shopping centre operator Intu jumps on M&A report
Sept 9 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 inched up on Monday as
shares of oil majors rose, tracking gains in crude prices on
hopes that Saudi Arabia will continue to support output cuts
under its new energy minister, while weak data from China and
Japan lifted stimulus bets.
The main index .FTSE edged 0.2% higher by 0711 GMT, while
a 10% jump in Intu Properties after a report of takeover
interest aided a 0.3% rise in the mid-cap index .FTMC .
Gains on both the bourses come ahead of a slew of British
economic data, including gross domestic product data, scheduled
later this morning.
Oil majors BP BP.L and Shell RDSa.L climbed about 1.3%,
as crude prices rose. O/R
Lender Lloyds LLOY.L weighed on the blue-chip index, with
a 1.5% fall after saying it was suspending its remaining 2019
buyback program, while Associated British Foods ABF.L gave up
2% on poor outlook for its Primark fashion chain.