The FTSE 100 opened lower, giving up its 8,000 level and seemingly following the falls in the US and Asian markets.
The UK arm of French energy giant EDF returned to profit in 2022, sparking further outrage about the earnings of providers. The company reported profits of £1.12bn, compared to a loss of £21mln for the year earlier.
NatWest is the latest company to join the buyback club. The bank will be giving £800mln to shareholders after reporting a strong increase in annual profits.
Another fresh set of strikes has been announced. Royal Mail staff and rail workers will be conducting walkouts over the Easter period.
Among some of the small caps, Trident Royalties said that General Motors has paid the initial US$320mln of its US$650mln investment into the Thacker Pass project in Nevada. The cash will be used to accelerate the development of the project.