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* Miners among biggest drivers on FTSE 100
* Mid-cap index closes up as Cranswick boosts
* Retail sales, inflation, PMI numbers due this week
* Travel and leisure stocks extend slide
* FTSE 100 up 0.8%, FTSE 250 up 0.2%
(Updates to close, adds comments)
By Sagarika Jaisinghani and Shreyashi Sanyal
Aug 17 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 index ended higher for
the first time in three sessions on Monday as more stimulus in
China powered mining stocks, while investors eyed a slate of
economic data due later in the week to gauge the pace of a
post-pandemic rebound.
The commodity-heavy FTSE 100 was up 0.8%, with
miners Rio Tinto Plc, BHP Group Plc and Anglo
American Plc adding between 1.7% and 2.4%.
Fresh liquidity from China's central bank helped investors
brush past a delay in a weekend meeting of U.S. and Chinese
officials to review their Phase-1 trade pact.
The FTSE 100 has bounced back 24% from a coronavirus-driven
crash in March as data signalled a nascent rebound in key
sectors such as housing, but a recent surge in COVID-19
infections has made investors cautious about betting on risky
assets in the absence of a vaccine.
The mid-cap FTSE 250, reversed earlier declines to
close 0.2% higher. Meat processor Cranswick Plc boosted
the index with a 6.5% jump after it said it expected retail
demand to normalise in the rest of the year as more people start
dining out. Eating in during lockdowns helped Cranswick's
revenue surge 25% in the first quarter.
The mid-cap FTSE 250 reversed earlier declines to
close 0.2% higher, powered by a 6.5% jump in meat processor
Cranswick Plc expectations of retail demand to normalise
in the rest of the year as more people start dining out, after
eating in during lockdowns helped its revenue surge 25% in the
first quarter.
After retail sales for July disappointed in both China and
the United States last week, investors are awaiting UK figures
on Friday. Inflation, consumer confidence and flash readings of
business activity surveys are also due this week.
"There is the potential for positive surprises from the
retail sales data or the flash PMIs, if the positive impact of
restrictions being relaxed can be sustained," said Ian Williams,
economics and strategy analyst at Peel Hunt.
Travel and leisure stocks fell for their fourth
straight day after Britain expanded its quarantine list to
include France and other countries last week.
(Reporting by Sagarika Jaisinghani and Shreyashi Sanyal in
Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Mark Heinrich)
