Corrects syntax in headline
Sept 13 (Reuters) - Mining stocks lifted London's blue-chip index on Friday as investors raised their bets of a hefty U.S. interest rate cut week, but gains were limited as a strong pound weighed on export-oriented companies.
The FTSE 100 .FTSE edged up 0.2%, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 .FTMC firmed 0.4%, aiming for its first weekly gain in three.
Precious metal miners Fresnillo FRES.L, Endeavour EDV.L and Centamin CEY.L firmed about 2% each as gold scaled a record high against a weaker greenback. GOL/
Industrial metal miners .FTNMX551020 rose 0.9% as copper prices rose to a two-week high on expectations of fiscal support from in top consumer China. MET/L
The sterling GBPUSD= touched a one-week high against the U.S. dollar after the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times reported it might be a close call on whether the U.S. Federal Reserve cuts rates by 25 basis points or by 50 bps at its meeting Wednesday.
That prompted traders to boost their expectations of a steeper 50 bps rate cut to 43% from just 14% a day earlier, according to CME's FedWatch tool.
An influential former New York Fed President, Bill Dudley, later said, "there's a strong case for 50".
Investors are also gearing up for the Bank of England's policy meeting week, at which it is expected to stand pay, according to all 65 economists in a Reuters poll.
The BoE meeting, however, will be parsed for clues about future moves as well as a decision over the pace of its bond sales -- a hot political topic. The central bank last month eased interest rates by 25 bps to 5% from a 16-year high.
Among other stocks, Vodafone's VOD.L $19 billion merger with Three UK could push up bills for millions of mobile customers, Britain's competition regulator said. Vodafone shares rose 0.2%.
Flutter Entertainment FLTRF.L edged lower after the Irish betting giant said it will buy a 56% stake in NSX Group, the operator of Brazilian gaming group Betnacional, for about $350 million.
(Reporting by Medha Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza)
((Medha.Singh@thomsonreuters.com; +91 80 6210 0592; X, formerly Twitter: @medhasinghs;))
For related prices, Reuters users may click on - * UK stock report .L FTSE index: 0#.FTS6 techMARK 100 index: .FTT1X FTSE futures: 0#FFI: Gilt futures: 0#FLG: Smallcap index: .FTSC FTSE 250 index: .FTMC FTSE 350 index: .FTLC Market digest: .AD.L Top 10 by vol: .AV.L Top price gainers: .NG.L Top % gainers: .PG.L Top price losers: .NL.L Top % losers: .PL.L * For related , click on - * UK hot stocks: HOT and GB Wall Street: .N Gilts report: GB/ Euro bond report GVD/EUR Pan European stock report: .EU Tokyo stocks: .T HK stocks: .HK Sterling report: GBP/ Dollar report: USD/ * For company prices, click on - * Company directory: UKEQ By sector: FTAX * For pan-European market data, click on - * European Equities speed guide................ EUR/EQUITY FTSE Eurotop 300 index........................... .FTEU3 DJ STOXX index................................... .STOXX Top 10 STOXX sectors........................ .PGL.STOXXS Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors................... .PGL.STOXXES Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors.................. .PGL.FTEU3S Top 25 European pct gainers.................... .PG.PEUR Top 25 European pct losers..................... .PL.PEUR