12 April 2021 | 08:29am
StockMarketWire.com - UK stocks opened lower on Monday, even as local restaurants, bars and other non-essential businesses began to reopen, as jitters remain globally about rising bond yields and lofty stock valuations.
At 0819, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down 16.29 points, or 0.2%, at 6,899.46.
Shopping centre owner Hammerson climed 1.4% to 37.92p, having confirmed press speculation that it was in talks about a possible sale of its retail parks portfolio to Brookfield.
Pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca edged back 3.42p to £72.8358 after it said its diabetes drug Farxiga did not improve the condition of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 in a clinical trial.