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| Yesterday’s UK 100 Leaders | Price (p) | % Chg |
| FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT PLC | 16,875.0 | 6.8% |
| ROLLS-ROYCE HOLDINGS PLC | 118.0 | 2.7% |
| KINGFISHER PLC | 308.3 | 2.5% |
| INTL CONSOLIDATED AIRLINE-DI | 217.6 | 2.5% |
| FRESNILLO PLC | 951.8 | 2.3% |
| Yesterday’s UK 100 Laggards | Price (p) | % Chg |
| EVRAZ PLC | 554.6 | -3.2% |
| STANDARD LIFE ABERDEEN PLC | 283.6 | -3.0% |
| M&G PLC | 219.1 | -2.9% |
| RIO TINTO PLC | 5597.0 | -2.6% |
| PHOENIX GROUP HOLDINGS PLC | 721.6 | -2.3% |
| Major World Indices | Price | % Chg | 1 YEAR |
| UK 100 INDEX | 6,750 | -0.2% | 31.0% |
| DOW JONES INDUS. AVG | 32,953 | 0.5% | 63.2% |
| DAX INDEX | 14,461 | -0.3% | 56.6% |
| NIKKEI 225 | 29,921 | 0.5% | 76.0% |
| S&P/ASX 200 INDEX | 6,827 | 0.8% | 36.5% |
| Commodities | Units | Price | % Chg |
| WTI Crude Oil (Nymex) | USD/bbl. | 64.65 | -1.13% |
| Brent Crude (ICE) | USD/bbl. | 68.13 | -1.09% |
| Gold Spot | USD/t oz. | 1,729 | -0.2% |
| Copper (Comex) | USd/lb. | 410 | -1.0% |
Click graph to enlarge
UK 100 is called to open +40 points this morning at 6791. Calls for a positive open this morning come as they take a lead from other global market performances and shrug off any concerns about potential side affects of the AstraZeneca vaccine as Germany, France, Italy and Spain have paused use of the coronavirus vaccine amid blood clot concerns. Stateside yesterday saw an up and down day before closing on a bullish note, with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 up 0.5% and 0.7% to new record highs. The tech centric Nasdaq Composite was strongest, up over 1% as it continues to rebound from its fall at the beginning of March. In Asia, the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong gained 0.34% while the Shanghai Composite in China rose 0.52%. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 lifted 0.52% and South Korea’s Kospi jumped 0.75%.
Antofagasta report that their FY profit rose 12.3% in 2020, allowing it to increase its dividends, as copper and gold prices surged and its mines performed well despite some COVID-19 related disruption. EBITDA rose to $2.7bn (2019: $2.4bn) and they declared a final dividend of 48.5 cents per share.
AstraZeneca completes the divestment of its 27% stake in Viela Bio Inc to Horizon Therapeutics, receiving $775m in cash proceeds and profit from the sale. They also announce they are to supply up to 500,000 additional doses of COVID-19 treatment AZD7442.
Close Brothers reports a H1 adjusted operating profit of £128.5m.
Computacenter reported a 46.5% rise in FY pretax profit to £206.6m.
Ferguson has raised its dividend and announced a share buyback after posting higher HY profit, buoyed by cost control measures and strong home improvement demand in its biggest market, the USA. Underlying trading profit rose to $837m (2019: $746m).
Greggs reported its first annual loss since listing on the stock exchange in 1984 after the COVID-19 pandemic hammered shopper numbers. They reported a pretax loss of £13.7m (2019: £108.3m profit) as total sales fell 31% to £811m. They declared no dividend for 2020 as they need to return to higher profit and cash generation first.
Natwest announce that the UK FCA has begun an investigation into criminal proceedings for money laundering offences at the company between Nov 2011 and Oct 2016.
Plus 500 says that trading during Q1 2021 remained strong and that revenue will be driven through continued growth of active clients.
Wizz Air's largest shareholder, Indigo Partners is planning to sell up to £400m worth of shares.
Credit Suisse Upgrades Barclays to Outperform from Neutral (11 Buys / 8 Holds / 0 Sells)
Credit Suisse Upgrades HSBC to Neutral from Underperform (2 Buys / 10 Holds / 5 Sells)
Credit Suisse Upgrades Natwest to Outperform from Neutral (4 Buys / 11 Holds / 3 Sells)
Credit Suisse Downgrades Standard Chartered to Underperform from Neutral (10 Buys / 6 Holds / 1 Sell)
Jefferies Upgrades AstraZeneca to Buy from Hold (16 Buys / 3 Holds / 0 Sells)
4imprint Group
Antofagasta
C&C Group
Close Brothers Group
Computacenter
Elementis
Ferguson
Greggs
Just Group
Ploypipe Group
Sabre Insurance Group
TI Fluid Systems
Unite Group
Ferrexpo
US Retail Sales Control Group
US Retail Sales
EcoFin Meeting
EU ZEW Survey – Economic Sentiment
German ZEW Survey – Current Situation
UK 100:
SEGRO
Anglo American
Hikma Pharmaceuticals
CRH
M&G
UK 250:
Dunelm Group
BlackRock World Mining Trust
Tritax Big Box REIT
Spirent Communications
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