Britain's FTSE flat ahead of key UK inflation data

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LONDON, Dec (Shanghai: 600875.SS - news) 12 (Reuters) - UK shares were flat on Tuesday as investors await inflation figures, which some economists believe could show prices rising at their fastest rate since 2012, putting pressure on the Bank of England to further raise rates.

At 0810 GMT, the blue-chip FTSE 100 was up 0.01 point at 7454.16 points after a 0.7 percent gain during the previous session helped by a weaker pound.

UK inflation data for November will be published at GMT 0930 and the Reuters consensus shows an average expectation of a 3 percent increase year-on-year.

"Price developments will be decisive in determining whether and if so how soon the Bank of England will hike interest rates again", Commerzbank (Xetra: CBK100 - news) wrote in a morning note.

France's Socgen (Paris: FR0000130809 - news) said in a research note it expected inflation to hit 3.2 percent, an outcome which would require Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, to explain himself in writing to the finance minister, Philip Hammond.

On the corporate front, British industrial equipment hire company Ashtead posted the best performance in early dealings, rising 4.4 percent after it launched a share buyback programme and raised its annual results forecast.

On the other end of the trading board, Britain's largest floor coverings retailer Carpetright (Other OTC: CGHXF - news) shed 5.4 percent after lowering its full-year 2017-18 profit forecast.

Miner and trader Glencore (Frankfurt: 8GC.F - news) lost 1.3 percent after a market update for its marketing division. (Julien Ponthus)