UK shares edge higher as benign inflation data reassures investors

(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click or type LIVE/ in a news window) May 20 (Reuters) - UK shares rose marginally on Wednesday after softer-than-expected April inflation offered relief to investors, though sceptics warned the reprieve would be temporary. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index gained 0.13% as of 10:40 am GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 climbed 0.29%. * Consumer prices in April rose by an annual rate of 2.8%, compared with March's figures of 3.3% and expectations of 3.0%. * That prompted some analysts to question the need for rapid rate hikes by the Bank of England, especially as data released on Tuesday also showed the unemployment rate ticking up. * "We continue to think markets are overestimating the Bank of England's willingness to tighten policy," said James Smith, developed markets economist, UK, at ING. * On Monday, the International Monetary Fund had also said that the central bank may not need to raise rates to get inflation down to its target. * Still, others warned that inflation may tick up in the coming months as the impact of higher oil prices due to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz flows through. * "Some people might be scratching their heads that the headline inflation figure for April came in at just 2.8%. But this bright spot is set to be relegated to the past in the months to come," said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell. * Aerospace and defence stocks rose 1.6%, thanks to a 3.2% gain in shares of defence contractor Babcock International Group ( BCKIF ) after Peel Hunt upgraded the stock to "buy" from "add". * Retailer Marks & Spencer rose 4.2% and was the biggest gainer on the FTSE 100 after forecasting it will return to profit growth this year. * Investors are also contending with a noisy political backdrop, as questions about Prime Minister Keir Starmer's future persist. (Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)