UPDATE 2-UK-focused shares dip as no-deal Brexit scenario re-emerges

* FTSE 250 down 0.4%, FTSE 100 flat
* First round of Tory ballot puts Brexiteer Johnson in lead
* Ferguson jumps after Nelson Peltz takes stake
* DS Smith rises on results, helps peers gain
* Just Group surges on mid-cap index

(Adds news items, updates to closing prices)
By Shashwat Awasthi and Muvija M
June 13 (Reuters) - Britain's mid-cap index slipped on
Thursday as Boris Johnson, a prominent Brexiteer, emerged as the
clear favourite to succeed Theresa May as Prime Minister after
the first round of a ballot of Conservative lawmakers.
The FTSE 250 .FTMC fell 0.4%, its worst day in more than a
week. The FTSE 100 .FTSE ended roughly flat, with notable
gains in plumbing products distributor Ferguson FERG.L and
packaging firm DS Smith SMDS.L .
Stocks on the domestically-focused mid-cap index as well
blue-chip local financial shares skid after Johnson, the face of
Britain's campaign to leave the European Union in the 2016
referendum, was backed by more than a third of voting lawmakers.
This again raised the risk of Britain crashing out of the EU
without a deal on Oct. 31, which Johnson has said he would do if
no agreement had been ratified by then.
Ferguson surged 6.1%, its best day in more than a year after
activist investor Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund disclosed a stake
and said it would work with the company, formerly known as
Wolseley , to explore creating long-term value for shareholders.
DS Smith jumped 5.4% after it posted solid pre-tax profit
growth, helped by higher volumes, sales prices and margins. It
dragged shares of peers Smurfit Kappa SKG.I and Mondi MNDI.L
higher.
Companies trading ex-dividend were the biggest fallers.
Hosebuilder Persimmon PSN.L and ad firm WPP WPP.L gave up
more than 4%.
Tesco TSCO.L recovered from losses earlier in the session
to end 0.9% higher. Britain's biggest retailer had flagged
slowdown in underlying sales growth in its latest quarter.
"Whilst no one thought the Christmas boost would carry
through completely into the first quarter, these are mildly
disappointing results. The threat from discounters is not going
away," Markets.com analyst Neil Wilson said.
Mid-cap Just Group JUSTJ.L climbed 12.7% on its best day
since December after the specialist pension provider's chairman
said his focus was on maximising shareholder value with "no
options excluded".
AIM-listed Majestic Wine WINEW.L slumped 8.2% after it
suspended its dividend due to the sale of its retail business
and said Chairman Greg Hodder would resign.
Liberum analysts called Hodder a highly regarded executive
and said his departure was unexpected.