UPDATE 1-British mid-cap stocks close at over two-year high on earnings optimism For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window. FTSE 100 up 1.2%, FTSE 250 gains 2.3% US PCE in line with estimates Focus on Fed, BoE decisions next week Updated at 1620 GMT July 26 (Reuters) - British mid-cap stocks rallied to their strongest finish in more than two years on Friday, helped by a slew of upbeat company earnings reports and a rebound on Wall

BUZZ-UK's Babcock gains as co reaffirms FY25 forecast ** Shares in British defense engineering company Babcock International BAB.L up 2.7% to 501.2 pence ** Co says its expectations for FY25 remain unchanged with a target to deliver mid-single digit average annual revenue growth nFWN3JI0P0 ** Posts underlying operating profit of 237.8 mln pounds ($

EUROPE RESEARCH ROUNDUP-Greencore, UCB, Unilever July 26 (Reuters) - Securities analysts revised their ratings and price targets on several European companies, including Greencore, UCB, and Unilever, on Friday. HIGHLIGHTS * Greencore GNC.L : HSBC raises target price to 190p from 160p * Lonza Group AG LONN.S : JP Morgan raises target price to CHF 645 from CHF 600 * Sartorius Stedim Biotech STDM.PA : HSBC cuts target price to EUR 310 from EUR 360 * UCB SA UCB.BR : TD Cowen raises target price to E

BRIEF-Babcock International Maintains FY25 Expectations July 26 (Reuters) - Babcock International Group PLC BAB.L : STRONG PROGRESS TOWARDS OUR MEDIUM-TERM GUIDANCE EXPECTATIONS FOR FY25 REMAIN UNCHANGED C.70% OF FY25 EXPECTED REVENUE UNDER CONTRACT AT 1 APRIL 2024 Source text for Eikon: ID:nRSZ9468Xa Further company coverage: BAB.L

UK Stocks-Factors to watch on July 19 July 19 - Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening lower on Friday, with futures FFIc1 down 0.4%. * DEFENCE: Senior executives from British defence firms including BAE BAES.L and Babcock BAB.L met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to discuss the need to boost military support for the country in its conflict with Russia.