UK's FTSE 100 rises as energy and consumer staples gain

June 10 (Reuters) - UK's FTSE ‌100 closed ​higher ​on Wednesday with energy and consumer staples stocks providing a lift, though the index remained stuck near three-week ‌lows as investors monitored a fragile ceasefire in the Middle ⁠East.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed 0.3% higher at 10,254.8 points, hovering ‌near its lowest levels since ‌mid-May. The midcap FTSE 250 advanced 0.5%.

• Consumer staples majors Tesco and Unilever were among the biggest gainers, climbing over ​2% each.

• Middle East tensions were high as the U.S. and Iran traded fire.

• U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran ⁠had taken too long to negotiate a deal and would "have to pay the price".

• Crude ​oil prices jumped after Trump's remarks and UK energy stocks climbed 1.9%.

• WH Smith plunged 16.2% after cutting ​its annual profit forecast for the ‌second time in two months and launched an equity raise to bolster its finances.

• Banks were among ⁠the biggest sectoral decliners with a 1% fall.

• Shares of Hong Kong exposed HSBC and Standard Chartered each fell more than 1%.

• The ⁠lenders have been under pressure since Beijing unveiled tighter capital controls to limit ​cross-border investments.

• Inflation concerns have led investors to price in a 25 basis point interest rate hike by the Bank of England by September, according ‌to LSEG-compiled data.

• Elsewhere, water utility Pennon Group slipped 1.7% after its new CEO warned operational ‌discipline must improve.

• EnQuest shot up 27% after the North Sea-focused ⁠oil producer agreed to buy ‌interests in four offshore ​contracts in Malaysia.

(Reporting by Johann M Cherian and Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and ‌Barbara Lewis)

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