LONDON MARKET OPEN: Mixed on weak UK PMIs and record public borrowing

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London shares had a mixed open on Tuesday, after figures revealed record borrowing by the UK government.

The FTSE 100 index opened down 37.70 points, 0.5%, at 7,747.28. The FTSE 250 was up 31.45 points, 0.2%, at 19,833.14, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.51 points, 0.3%, at 861.59.

The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.6% at 861.59, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.4% at 17,341.81, and the Cboe Small Companies was down 0.2% at 13,970.94.

UK public sector borrowing - excluding public sector banks - in the final month of 2022 reached its highest December figure since monthly records began in 1993, according to the ONS.

Borrowing hit £27.4 billion, which was £16.7 billion higher than the previous year, and £9.8 billion higher than the latest official forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility.

The increase was largely due to a sharp rise in the spend for energy support schemes, as well as an increase in debt interest.

‘The cost of energy support schemes so far has come in at almost £5 billion but it‘