UPDATE 1-UK's FTSE 100 ends flat amid dimming hopes of progress in Iran talks

* The prolonged conflict has already pushed ‌up oil prices and intensified concerns about inflation. * Separately, a survey on Thursday showed that British companies were suffering the most widespread drop in activity in more than a year, due to the economic fallout ⁠from the ​war and political uncertainty ⁠at home.

Britain's blue-chip stock index ​ended flat on Thursday, as risk ​sentiment remained shaky following downbeat domestic ‌data and ​persisting worries that the Middle East conflict could remain deadlocked. The FTSE 100 closed 0.1% higher at 10,443.47 points, while the ‌midcap FTSE 250 gained 0.5%.

* Iran's supreme leader has issued a directive that the country's near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad, Reuters reported, hardening Tehran's stance on one of ‌the main U.S. demands at peace talks. * The prolonged conflict has already pushed ‌up oil prices and intensified concerns about inflation.

* Separately, a survey on Thursday showed that British companies were suffering the most widespread drop in activity in more than a year, due to the economic fallout ⁠from the ​war and political uncertainty ⁠at home. * "These figures... lend some tentative support to other evidence that suggests the conditions for a long ⁠period of high inflation are not in place," said Paul Dales, chief UK economist at Capital Economics.

* ​Earlier this week, data showed that inflation in April was softer than expected, while ⁠the unemployment rate ticked up. * Meanwhile, factory orders in May contracted at the fastest rate since September ⁠2020, ​according to the Confederation of British Industry.

* Utilities were among the best-performing sectors on the day, followed by industrial metal miners and retailers * Shares of automotive marketplace Autotrader slipped ⁠8.8% after the company reported slower sales, and were the biggest laggard on the FTSE ⁠100.

* Medical equipment ⁠and services shares fell 1.6%, dragged down by a near 5% drop in medical equipment maker Convatec, which flagged margin pressure.