Defensive stocks lead rebound in FTSE 100.

UK's FTSE 100 rose on Friday, boosted by gains in defensive stocks at the end of a choppy week, which saw mounting fears around hawkish central banks, weak economic data and rising risks of a recession. The blue-chip index inched up 0.4 percent, with healthcare stocks that tend to decouple from economic cycles, rising the most. The domestically focussed FTSE 250 was up 0.4 percent. The FTSE 100 was set to end the week largely flat, while the mid-cap index was on pace for a weekly loss of 1 percent. Data showed British retail sales volumes slid by 0.5 percent in May, showing that consumers cut...