Good morning from London where Friday is off to a bit of a slow start, with traders still ruminating over yesterday’s 0.5% UK base rate hike.
Big name mortgage lenders are due to meet chancellor Jeremy Hunt today in what is described as “collaborative” event after the government resisted calls to intervene directly in the mortgage market.
On the FTSE 100 GSK is the biggest gainer this so far this morning, after the pharma giant settled a cancer lawsuit for heartburn treatment Zantac that had been due for US trial.
Hotel Chocolat has issued its second profit warning in as many months, and is warning of a "minor loss" this year as consumers continue to seek out cheaper alternatives.
Audioboom has also had a tough start to the day, warning of lower than expected profits this year as the pandemic podcast craze continues to unwind.
Among the small caps, David Beckham-backed Guild Esports has signed a one-year partnership deal with the gaming chair specialist Secretlab.