(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock
markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window)
* Just Group jumps on strong earnings
* Unite Group rises on upbeat outlook
* UBS bullish on FTSE 100 in 2021
* Midcaps end near 13-month high
* FTSE 100 up 0.8%, FTSE 250 adds 1.1%
(Updates to close)
By Shivani Kumaresan and Amal S
March 16 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 rose on Tuesday
following a clutch of upbeat company earnings, while AstraZeneca
rose after the European medicine watchdog said it saw little
reason to change its stance on the drugmaker's COVID-19 vaccine.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index ended 0.8% higher at
its best close since early January, with financials, healthcare
and consumer staples stocks among the best performers.
AstraZeneca was the top boost to the index after the
European Medicines Agency (EMA) head, Emer Cooke, said she saw
no reason to change its recommendation of the vaccine. The EMA
is still investigating concerns over the shot's safety and will
release its findings on Thursday.
"The market is starting to appreciate that higher yields are
not necessarily a bad thing for stocks, as long as they reflect
higher growth and inflation expectations," said Andrea Cicione,
head of strategy at TS Lombard.
"Over the last few sessions, investors are gaining a bit
more confidence and are getting comfortable with growth again."
A recent rise in treasury yields had hampered an otherwise
strong start to the year for UK stocks, as investors feared a
bigger-than-expected spike in inflation as economies began to
reopen.
Meanwhile, brokerage UBS in a note said it remained bullish
on UK equities and raised its FTSE 100 year-end target from
7,200 to 7,600, a 17.6% premium to its 2020 close.
The energy sector was the top laggard for the day, as lower
oil prices resulted in losses in oil heavyweights BP Plc
and Royal Dutch Shell Plc .
The domestically focused FTSE 250 index rose 1.1% to
a near 13-month high, almost completely recovering its losses
from the coronavirus crisis.
Specialist pension provider Just Group Plc rose
5.2% after it reported an 11% rise in annual earnings and
flagged progress in shoring up its capital base.
Student housing provider Unite gained 2.2%, after it
forecast a return to full occupancy and rental growth for the
upcoming academic year and reinstated dividend for the
pandemic-hit 2020.
(Reporting by Shivani Kumaresan and Amal S in Bengaluru;
Editing by Arun Koyyur and Lisa Shumaker)
UK dividends calendar - next 7 days
Monday 20 May | |
Airea PLC | dividend payment date |
Ascential PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
hVIVO PLC | dividend payment date |
Invesco Bond Income Plus Ltd | dividend payment date |
Jupiter Fund Management PLC | dividend payment date |
Murray International Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Tuesday 21 May | |
Bridgepoint Group PLC | dividend payment date |
HgCapital Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Lloyds Banking Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Old Mutual Ltd | dividend payment date |
Wednesday 22 May | |
Central Asia Metals PLC | dividend payment date |
Eurocell PLC | dividend payment date |
Harbour Energy PLC | dividend payment date |
London Stock Exchange Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Man Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Merchants Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Phoenix Group Holdings PLC | dividend payment date |
Smith & Nephew PLC | dividend payment date |
Softcat PLC | dividend payment date |
Thursday 23 May | |
abrdn Equity Income Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
AEW UK REIT PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Andrews Sykes Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Aptitude Software Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Avingtrans PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Bellway PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
BlackRock Greater Europe Investment Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
BlackRock Smaller Cos Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Bluefield Solar Income Fund Ltd | ex-dividend payment date |
Burford Capital Ltd | ex-dividend payment date |
Cardiff Property PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC | dividend payment date |
ConvaTec Group PLC | dividend payment date |
CRH PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
DCC PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Diploma PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Diversified Energy Co PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Empresaria Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Fintel PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Grainger PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
HICL Infrastructure PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
HSS Hire Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Imperial Brands PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
ITV PLC | dividend payment date |
JPMorgan UK Smaller Cos Investment Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Keywords Studios PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Lords Group Trading PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
ME Group International PLC | dividend payment date |
Mincon Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
NextEnergy Solar Fund Ltd | ex-dividend payment date |
Nexus Infrastructure PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Niox Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Savills PLC | special dividend payment date |
Scottish American Investment Co PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Secure Trust Bank PLC | dividend payment date |
Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income Fund Ltd | dividend payment date |
Spire Healthcare Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
TI Fluid Systems PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Town Centre Securities PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Town Centre Securities PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Tritax Big Box REIT PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Tritax EuroBox PLC EUR | ex-dividend payment date |
Tritax EuroBox PLC GBP | ex-dividend payment date |
UIL Ltd | dividend payment date |
Weiss Korea Opportunity Fund Ltd | ex-dividend payment date |
Whitbread PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Friday 24 May | |
abrdn Asian Income Fund Ltd | dividend payment date |
AVI Japan Opportunity Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Braime Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Capricorn Energy PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Centaur Media PLC | dividend payment date |
Clarkson PLC | dividend payment date |
Edinburgh Investment Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Foresight Solar Fund Ltd | dividend payment date |
Greencoat Renewables PLC | dividend payment date |
Greggs PLC | dividend payment date |
Harworth Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Howden Joinery Group PLC | dividend payment date |
JPMorgan Asia Growth & Income PLC | dividend payment date |
M&G Credit Income Investment Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Maven Income & Growth VCT 4 PLC | dividend payment date |
Nippon Active Value Fund PLC | dividend payment date |
Public Policy Holding Co Inc | dividend payment date |
Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Rightmove PLC | dividend payment date |
Rotork PLC | dividend payment date |
Spirax-Sarco Engineering PLC | dividend payment date |
St James's Place PLC | dividend payment date |
Starwood European Real Estate Finance Ltd | dividend payment date |
TP ICAP Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Tracsis PLC | dividend payment date |
Unite Group PLC | dividend payment date |
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