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* FTSE 100 up 1.1%, FTSE 250 jumps 3.3%
* Homebuilders among top risers
* Utilities soar as Corbyn says to step down as Labour
leader
* RBS, Lloyds jump
(Adds closing prices)
By Thyagaraju Adinarayan and Julien Ponthus
LONDON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - UK shares focused on the domestic
economy surged on Friday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's
ruling Conservatives convincingly won a national election,
reassuring markets that Britain is likely to be headed for an
orderly exit from the European Union.
The FTSE 100 index rose 1.1% as a rally in
utilities, retailers, housebuilders and banking stocks offset
the drag from sterling, which surged to a 19-month high against
the U.S. dollar.
Housebuilders soared, with Taylor Wimpey, Berkeley
and Persimmon all up about 14%, reaching record
highs and topping the blue-chip index.
The FTSE 250 index, home to many companies with high
UK exposures, surged as much as 5.2% to record highs, before
easing slightly to end up 3.4%.
Trading volumes on the FTSE 100 index surged to
nearly three times their daily average.
Stocks were benefiting from the Conservative victory and
reports of a trade deal between China and the United States,
said Emmanuel Cau, head of European equity strategy at Barclays.
"The banking sector, real estate, construction, utilities,
all these sectors are expected to benefit from the 'feel-good'
factor".
Johnson's victory lifted nationalisation fears hanging over
utility stocks, boosting National Grid and United
Utilities, which rose 4.5% and 6.7% respectively.
Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had announced plans
to nationalise utilities in his election manifesto.
Corbyn said on Friday he would step down as Labour leader
. That decision is likely to be the biggest factor
driving banks and utilities higher, by affirming nationalisation
is now "off the table", said Citi analyst Andrew Coombs.
Among financials, RBS and Virgin Money
stood out, rising 8.4% and 18.7%.
JPMorgan's basket of London-listed companies
that make their cash in domestic markets rose 6.3% on Friday to
record highs.
"I think there has been a huge 'underweight' on UK assets
and we are seeing it unwind," said Kasper Elmgreen, head of
equities at asset manager Amundi. "UK domestics are attractively
priced and there is more way to go."
($1 = 0.7794 pounds)
(Reporting by Thyagaraju Adinarayan and Julien Ponthus;
Additional reporting by Sruthi Shankar; Editing by Mike Harrison
and Mark Potter)
