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* FTSE 100 up 0.2%, FTSE 250 down 0.2%
Nov 20 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 inched higher on
Friday, as a weaker pound boosted shares of exporters, although
gains were capped on concerns over economic damage from rising
coronavirus cases and a Brexit-trade deal uncertainty with the
European Union.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index .FTSE rose 0.2%, with energy
.FTNMX0530 , pharmaceutical .FTNMX4570 and mining
.FTNMX1770 stocks among the biggest boosters.
A weaker pound lifted shares of large, dollar-earning
companies such as Diageo Plc DGE.L and British American
Tobbacco Plc BATS.L .
The domestically focused mid-cap FTSE 250 .FTMC lost 0.2%.
Official data showed that British retail sales rose 1.2% in
October, up 5.8% on-year, but a Reuters poll stated that Britain
is on course for a double-dip recession as renewed lockdown
measures to curb a second wave of infections deliver another
hammer blow to economic activity. In company news, Sage Group Plc SGE.L fell 10.2% after the
software firm reported a 3.7% drop in full-year organic
operating profit.