U.S. PCE data awaited at 1230 pm GMT
Ocado climbs on patent row win
EMIS falls on UnitedHealth takeover probe extension
NCC Group tumbles on revised outlook
FTSE 100 up 0.2, FTSE 250 off 0.1

March 31 Reuters UK39;s FTSE 100 inched higher on Friday as healthcare and consumer staples stocks gained, while investors were relieved that the domestic economy narrowly avoided a recession late last year.

Data by the Office for National Statistics showed the UK39;s economic output grew 0.1 in the October to December period, amid expectations that the economy would not show any growth.

The FTSE 100 was up 0.2, as of 0858 GMT.

The fact that you scarcely avoided a recession for the time being is the key positive from the data. Will it be a better year ahead? That39;s the key question markets are asking themselves now, said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG Group.

Top boosters were consumer staples such as Unilever Plc fell 0.2.

Both the FTSE indexes are set for gains this quarter. The bluechip index is on course to close at its highest quarterly levels since mid2018. The FTSE 250 was up 0.2.

For the monthly session, the bluechip index was down 3 and the midcap index shed 5, logging their worst monthly sessions since September 2022.

The Competition and Markets Authority CMA said it would refer UnitedHealth Group39;s 1.24 billion pound 1.54 billion acquisition of EMIS Group Plc for a Phase 2 investigation, sending the healthcare technology firm down 21.6.

Ocado…