BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks eked out modest gains on Wednesday as stronger than expected rise in U.K. consumer price inflation failed to lift the pound.
U.K. consumer price inflation rose to a four-month high in July on clothing and petrol prices, data from the Office for National Statistics showed.
Consumer price inflation rose to 1 percent in July, while the rate was forecast to remain unchanged at 0.6 percent. On a monthly basis, consumer prices gained unexpectedly by 0.4 percent, faster than the 0.1 percent rise in June.
Output prices fell 0.9 percent annually in July, the same rate of decline as seen in June and in line with economists' expectations. Month-on-month, output prices gained again by 0.3 percent as expected in July.
The benchmark FTSE 100 edged up 0.1 percent to 6,085 after losing 0.8 percent on Tuesday.
BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell fell about 1 percent as crude prices eased on concerns about U.S. fuel demand.
Morrison Supermarkets advanced 1.6 percent amid news that its customers can now buy their groceries via Amazon. Ocado shares rose 1.2 percent.
House building company Persimmon lost 3 percent, a day after reporting a 43 percent fall in pretax profit for the first half of the year.
Public transport company National Express slumped 4.7 percent after it issued an update on board changes.
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