(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
Friday 7 April | |
Safestore Holdings PLC | dividend payment date |
Monday 10 April | |
Barratt Developments PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
RIT Capital Partners PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Tuesday 11 April | |
Dunelm Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Gore Street Energy Storage Fund PLC | dividend payment date |
Hays PLC | dividend payment date |
JPMorgan Global Growth & Income PLC | dividend payment date |
Mobius Investment Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Renishaw PLC | dividend payment date |
Ricardo PLC | dividend payment date |
Wednesday 12 April | |
Assura PLC | dividend payment date |
Goodwin PLC | dividend payment date |
LondonMetric Property PLC | dividend payment date |
Personal Assets Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Schroder European Real Estate Investment Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Thursday 13 April | |
Alfa Financial Software Holdings PLC | special ex-dividend payment date |
Alpha FX Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
BlackRock Latin American Investment Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Capital & Regional PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Carr's Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC | dividend payment date |
DFS Furniture PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Diageo PLC | dividend payment date |
Foxtons Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Franchise Brands PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Grafton Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
GSK PLC | dividend payment date |
Harbour Energy PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
ITV PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Johnson Service Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
JPMorgan Asia Growth & Income PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Just Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Kenmare Resources PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Kerry Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Kingspan Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Law Debenture Corp PLC | dividend payment date |
Lloyds Banking Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Manchester & London Investment Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
National Express Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Old Mutual Ltd | ex-dividend payment date |
Persimmon PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Rotork PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Scottish American Investment Company PLC | dividend payment date |
Smurfit Kappa Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Softcat PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
TP ICAP Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Trifast PLC | dividend payment date |
Unite Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
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