Sterling jumps as tariff doubts weigh on dollar
Burberry says more likely to make annual profit
FTSE 100 down 0.3, FTSE 250 up 0.3

Jan 24 Reuters The UK39;s FTSE 100 slipped on Friday, as a jump in sterling hurt exportoriented firms, while Burberry soared after a strong U.S. holiday season helped the luxury firm beat quarterly sales expectations.

The bluechip FTSE 100 dipped 0.3 by 1214 GMT, but still looked on course for its fifth straight week of gains.

The benchmark hit a record high this week, as global stocks surged on signs that U.S. President Donald Trump was taking a softer stance towards tariffs against China and looking to boost the U.S. economy by lowering taxes and making big AI investments.

Sterling climbed 0.5 against the dollar on Friday as a lack of concrete tariff policies during Trump39;s first week in office hurt the dollar, and in turn weighed on shares of global companies such as Shell and HSBC.

UKlisted global miners such as Antofagasta, Glencore and Rio Tinto climbed as copper prices jumped to their highest in more than two months on hopes of a U.S. trade deal with China.

The FTSE 250 midcap index gained 0.3, boosted by a 13 surge in Burberry shares after it reported a smallerthanexpected 4 drop in quarterly comparable store sales and said it was now more likely to record a profit over its financial year.

The results boosted shares of other European luxury firms including Kering and LVMH.

Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury Publishing rose…