Already-expensive British home prices will see further substantial gains over the next few years, bolstered by low borrowing costs, supply shortages and a desire for more living space, a Reuters poll of housing market analysts found.
London's FTSE 100 ended higher on Friday, helped by gains in consumer staple stocks and financials, while a clutch of corporate updates helped investors look past a surprise drop in retail sales.
Trial data from AstraZeneca on Friday raised the prospect of a new treatment to prevent COVID-19 beyond vaccines, giving hope in particular for people who respond poorly to immunisation shots.
The UK drug regulator has approved an antibody cocktail developed by Regeneron and Roche to prevent and treat COVID-19, it said on Friday, as the nation battles rising hospitalisations due to the more infectious Delta variant.
British retailer Marks & Spencer upgraded its profit outlook on Friday after a jump in demand for food and a surge in online clothes' orders indicated that its latest turnaround plan was starting to deliver.