12 May 2021 | 08:41am
StockMarketWire.com - UK stocks opened higher on Wednesday, recouping a portion of Tuesday s heavy losses, as local companies continued to release upbeat earnings updates as lockdowns ease.
At 0830, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 38.72 points, or 0.6%, at 6,986.71.
Sentiment also was buoyed by stronger-than-anticipated economic data, with British gross domestic product falling 1.5% in the first quarter, beating expectations of a 1.6% drop.
Alcoholic drinks maker Diageo gained 3.1% to £32.875, on announcing that it would initiate the second phase of £4.5 billion capital return program, but extend its duration by two years to 30 June 2024.
The welcome move came as Diageo forecast organic operating profit growth to be at least 14% in its current financial year, slightly ahead of organic net sales growth.
12 May 2021 | 16:42pm
StockMarketWire.com - Despite a slump on Wall Street as US prices rose faster than expected in March the FTSE 100 made good progress on Wednesday, trading 0.8% higher to just regain the 7,000 mantle.
By 4.30pm UK time the S&P 500 in the US was down 1.2% at 4,101.69.
UK sentiment was buoyed by stronger-than-anticipated economic data, with British gross domestic product falling 1.5% in the first quarter, beating expectations of a 1.6% drop.
Alcoholic drinks maker Diageo gained 3.4% to £32.99, on announcing that it would initiate the second phase of £4.5 billion capital return program, but extend its duration by two years to 30 June 2024.
The welcome move came as Diageo forecast organic operating profit growth to be at least 14% in its current financial year, slightly ahead of organic net sales growth.
10 March 2021 | 08:37am
StockMarketWire.com - UK stocks opened lower on Wednesday after large mining companies were hit by a drop in the price of iron ore.
At 0824, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down 30.09 points, or 0.5%, at 6,700.25.
BHP fell 2.6% to £21.435 and Rio Tinto fell 4.3% to £55.68.
In corporate news, insurance group Legal & General shed 0.4% to 280.9p, having reported a 15% fall in annual profit driven by pandemic-related claims.
Legal & General held its dividend steady at 17.57p per share.
Food delivery service Just Eat Takeway slipped 0.2% to £68.30 as it posted a deeper annual loss of €147 million after a rise in revenue was offset by higher spending.