London pre-open: Flat start expected, Greek talks in focus
17th Apr 2015 07:50
UK stock markets are set for a subdued start on Friday morning as investors focus on Greek debt talks on a quiet day for corporate news. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open more or less flat on Thursday's close of 7,060.45. The index had pulled back the previous session from Wednesday's reco
Read moreAstrazeneca wins US Orphan status for eye cancer drug
17th Apr 2015 07:35
Astrazeneca's eye cancer treatment, selumetinib, has been given 'orphan drug' status by US regulators, which should smooth its path to full approval. The product would be the first in the world to treat uveal melanoma, in which cancer cells form in eyeball tissue, with studies having found it makes
Read moreThursday broker round-up
16th Apr 2015 13:42
AstraZeneca: Societe Generale reiterates buy and 6,660p target price. Tesco: Nomura reiterates neutral and lowers target to 185p from 190p. Burberry: UBS reiterates neutral stance and lifts target to 1,800p from 1,650p. Royal Dutch Shell: Barclays reiterates overweight. Persimmon: Shore Capital r
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks at new all-time high on Chinese stimulus hopes
15th Apr 2015 11:38
UK stocks were at a new record on Wednesday with investors looking on the bright side of weak economic from China, with hopes for further stimulus from Beijing pushing miners higher. Chinese economic growth slowed to a six-year low, while growth in fixed-asset investment, industrial production and r
Read moreLondon open: Stocks set new record as Chinese slowdown fuels stimulus hopes
15th Apr 2015 08:44
UK stocks reached a new all-time high on Wednesday morning as a raft of weak economic figures from China gave shares in the heavyweight mining sector a boost on hopes of further stimulus from Beijing. Chinese economic growth slowed to a six-year low, while growth in fixed-asset investment, industria
Read moreAstrazeneca boosted by US diabetes recommendation
15th Apr 2015 07:15
Astrazeneca gave US regulatory updates on two pipeline products, with an encouraging review for a pair of diabetes treatments and granting of 'orphan drug' status for a cancer treatment that should ease its path to marketing approval. A pair of drug combinations to treat type-2 diabetes were, after
Read moreWednesday broker round-up:
8th Apr 2015 16:42
AstraZeneca: Morgan Stanley lifts target price to 4,500p from 4,300p, reiterates underweight. BG Group: Canaccord Genuity improves target price to 1,300p from 1,016p and downgrades to hold. GlaxoSmithKline: Deutsche Bank raises target price to 1,600p from 1,300p and reiterates hold. Tate&Lyle: Num
Read moreLondon close: Stocks higher as focus shifts towards Greece
19th Mar 2015 17:30
UK equities registered slight gains as traders digested the policy announcement issued by the US Federal Reserve overnight and despite the renewed tensions evident in Greek funding markets. The Footsie ended the day 17 points higher at 6,962.32, with some effects from Wednesday's Budget from Chancel
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE crawling higher as Fed and Budget digested
19th Mar 2015 11:48
Come midday on Thursday, stocks were registering slight gains as traders digested the policy announcement issued by the US Federal Reserve overnight, but volatility was still evident in other asset classes such as foreign exchange and commodities. At 12.25 the top flight index was 5.8 points higher
Read moreLondon open: Footsie edges higher after Fed decision
19th Mar 2015 08:49
The Footsie began the morning higher as traders digested a surprisingly dovish set of macroeconomic projections from the US Federal Reserve overnight which set off sharp moves in all asset classes. At 09:15 the top flight index was 16 points higher at 6,961.30. As expected, the US central bank omit
Read moreLondon pre-open: FTSE set to edge higher in wake of dovish Fed
19th Mar 2015 07:41
The UK's blue chip index is expected to tack on between 13 and 17 points to yesterday's large gains, financial bookmakers said, as traders digest and react to the surprisingly dovish policy statement from the US Federal Reserve overnight. The US central bank opted to omit any reference to being "pat
Read moreAstraZeneca signs deal to commercialise new drug with Daiichi Sankyo
19th Mar 2015 07:07
AstraZeneca has signed an agreement with US company Daiichi Sankyo to jointly commercialise a new drug called Movantik. Movantik is an oral treatment for opioid-induced constipation in adults with chronic non-cancer pain. No longer labelled a controlled substance by the US Drug Enforcement Administ
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rise ahead of UK Budget, Fed decision
18th Mar 2015 08:46
London stocks advanced on Wednesday morning, rising for a third straight day, as investors took a bullish approach ahead of the hotly-anticipated UK Budget and Federal Reserve policy decision. The FTSE 100 was trading up 0.3% at 6,859.81 in early deals. The market reaction to chancellor George Osbo
Read moreAstrazeneca new lung disease drug delivers successful results
18th Mar 2015 07:55
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said Phase III studies into investigative drug PT003 for chronic lung disease had delivered positive results. The two 24-week studies examined whether the drug, which the group acquired after buying Pearl Therapeutics two years ago, improved the conditions of patient
Read moreLondon close: Stocks jump on central bank stimulus
16th Mar 2015 16:45
Strong gains from in the retail sector outweighed falls from energy stocks on Monday, as UK equities recovered strongly after their worst weekly performance so far this year. The FTSE 100 finished the session up 0.94% at 6,804.08 after dropping 2.5% last week. Despite the strong gains, oil and gas
Read more