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By Pranav Kashyap

Oct 24 (Reuters) -London's main stock indexes rose on Thursday, buoyed by upbeatcorporate earnings and key economic data released earlier in the day, whichbolstered bets of more Bank of Englandrate cuts.

The benchmark FTSE 100 .FTSE was up 0.6% by 1000 GMT, while the domestically-focussed FTSE 250 .FTMC rose 0.2%.

Heavyweight Unilever ULVR.L gained 3.3% after the consumer goods giant beat third-quarter underlying sales estimates.

The stock also boosted the Personal Care sector .FTNMX452010, which was the top sectoral gainer.

An 3.8% jump in Anglo American AAL.L lifted theindustrial metal miners' sector .FTNMX551020 after the global miner maintained its copper and diamond production forecasts.

The oil and gas sector .FTNMX601010 also supported the benchmark, rising 1.3% as oil prices jumped on heightened supply concerns due to escalating Middle East tensions. O/R

Separately, British businesses reported their slowest growth in 11 months in October, the preliminary flash purchasing managers' index showed. It fell to 51.7 in Octoberfrom 52.6 a month earlier.

A Reuters poll of economists had expecteda reading of 52.6.

Markets have now fully priced in a rate cut by the BoE at its November and December meetings.

A speech by BoE Monetary Policy Committee member Catherine Mann at 1300 GMT is scheduled, with markets looking out for clues on further rate cuts.

Among notable stock moves, Barclays BARC.L rose 3.5% after the British bank reported a forecast-beating 18% rise in third-quarter profit.

IT services provider Softcat SCTS.L jumped nearly 12% after it beat expectations for annual profit.

Bucking the trend, Abrdn ABDN.L fell 8.6% after the fund manager reported deeper-than-expected outflows of client funds.

Reporting by Pranav Kashyap in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema

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