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FTSE heads into Easter break with gains as S&P 500 tops 4,000
StockMarketWire.com
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The FTSE 100 was up 0.4% to 6,737.30 amid optimism over a reopening of the UK economy.
By 4.30pm UK time the S&P 500 in the US moved above 4,000 for the first time as it marked a new record high, gaining 0.9%.
Clothing retailer Next has jumped 3.2% to £81.14 after it posted a 15% fall in full price sales for 2020/21 and pre-tax profit of £342 million, in line with guidance but said online sales growth is set to continue.
In the first eight weeks of the 2021/22 year, Next said its online sales have been stronger than expected and has raised its central profit guidance by £30 million from £670 million to £700 million for 2021/22.
Equiniti, the payment services group, reversed earlier losses to trade 2.6% higher at 132.6p after it swung to a pre-tax loss of £6.6 million compared with a profit of £39.8 million year-on-year as the pandemic dented business activity.
Quilter is 4.2% higher to 166.6p following the sale of Quilter International to Utmost for £483 million in a deal that will allow the group to focus on its higher growth UK wealth management business.
Diaceutics has climbed 1.6% to 103.9p on the news it has won a data licensing contract with a pharmaceutical company to provide COVID-19 testing data insights in the US.
Infrastructure investor John Laing is ahead 0.5% to 315p after it completed the sale of its Irish wind farm, Glencarbry, to Greencoat Renewables for €31.2 million, equivalent to approximately £26.6 million.
Avon Rubber has bounced 4.1% to £32.90 after the military equipment maker said the value of its existing US Army Integrated Head Protection System low rate initial production contract would increase by an estimated $28.4 million.
Airtel Africa has risen 2.5% to 81.3p on the news it has signed an agreement under which Mastercard would invest $100 million in its Airtel mobile commerce business at a $2.65 billion valuation.
Story provided by StockMarketWire.com
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