London Stocks Stay Steady Amid Inflation Data Expectations

London stocks remained relatively steady on Friday, with slight movements in the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices. Investors are awaiting key inflation data from Europe and the U.S. to determine the future path of interest rates. Centrica surged 4.1% while JD Sports Fashion dropped 6.6%.

London stocks were little changed on Friday, but were set for a third straight month of gains, as investors await inflation readings from Europe and the U.S. that will likely dictate the path of interest rates globally.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index was up 0.1% at 8,240.81 points as of 0715 GMT. The index is set for a third week of declines, the longest such run in nearly three months. Still, it is 1.18% higher for the month of May, poised for a third consecutive month of gains.

The mid-cap FTSE 250 was flat on the day and set to log its first weekly loss in five. Investors were on edge as they braced for a set of pivotal data – the Eurozone inflation report and U.S. Federal Reserve's favoured inflation metric, the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index, both set to unfold later in the day.

Among individual stocks, Centrica jumped 4.1%, the most on the FTSE 100, after RBC upgraded the stock to "outperform" from "sector perform". JD Sports Fashion was the top loser on the benchmark index, sliding 6.6% after the sportswear retailer kept its profit outlook unchanged.