HSBC Holdings jumps on upbeat profit, 3 billion buyback
Hargreaves Lansdown climbs on seeing good momentum in April
FTSE 100 up 0.3, FTSE 250 adds 0.2

April 30 Reuters Britain39;s stock indexes rose on Tuesday and were set for their second monthly gain, driven by optimism over upbeat corporate earnings, while HSBC climbed after strong quarterly results and share buyback plans offset news about its CEO39;s departure.

The FTSE 100 was up 0.3, as of 0812 GMT, hovering just below its alltime highs hit a day earlier. The index appeared poised to mark monthly gains of about 2.7, if current trend holds.

Shares of HSBC Holdings gained 2.7 after the Asiafocussed bank announced a betterthanexpected pretax profit, 3 billion worth of share buybacks and its CEO Noel Quinn39;s retirement.

The market is reasonably relaxed and taking the view that there39;s a chance that pivot to Asia may accelerate with the successor, which the bank has a history of promoting from within, said Ben Laidler, global markets strategist at eToro.

Standard Chartered rose 1.2.

Limiting gains in the bluechip index, insurer Prudential fell 4.5 after its annual premium equivalent sales for CITIC Prudential Life, its Chinese Mainland joint venture, slumped 17 in the first quarter.

Global investors are anxiously awaiting the U.S. Federal Reserve39;s policy decision on Wednesday to see if the U.S. central bank turns more hawkish.

If interest rate cuts are on the horizon both in the UK and Europe and…