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* FTSE 100, FTSE 250 flat after mixed earnings
July 31 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 was set for its first
monthly decline since the coronavirus-driven crash in March as a
historic slump in the U.S. economy fanned fears of a slower
global recovery, while British Airways-owner IAG slipped on
plans to raise equity.
IAG shed 5.3% as it said it would raise about 2.75
billion euros ($3.27 billion) in a capital increase backed by
its biggest shareholder, Qatar Airways, to strengthen its
finances after the pandemic wiped out global travel.
NatWest Group tumbled 0.9% after posting a
first-half loss due to swelling loan loss provisions.
The FTSE 100, however, was flat on Friday, helped by
a 1.1% gain for British American Tobacco as it reported
a better-than-expected first-half profit on strong demand from
the United States, its biggest market.
The mid-cap FTSE 250 was also flat, with losses for
industrial, financial and consumer discretionary stocks
countered by gains in materials, real estate and tech-related
stocks.
(Reporting by Sagarika Jaisinghani in Bengaluru; Editing by
Bernard Orr)