A lively start to the week, with Lloyds digging deeper into its pockets, AstraZeneca bowing to US price pressures, and IP Group cashing in on a biotech bonanza. Meanwhile, Wall Street came to the FTSE’s rescue, and HANetf struck gold, literally. Here’s what caught our eye today.
1. Lloyds Banking Group: The lender has set aside another £800 million for motor finance redress, questioning the watchdog’s maths while its provisions hit £1.95 billion. The road to resolution is proving rather costly.
2. AstraZeneca: Shares slipped after the drugmaker inked a ‘most favoured nation’ pricing pact with Washington, proof that even Big Pharma must play by the White House’s rules.
3. IP Group: Investors cheered a potential royalty windfall from Pfizer’s $7.3 billion Metsera deal, sending shares up 12%. It seems obesity treatments are slimming no one’s profits.
4. FTSE 100: A late Wall Street rally pulled London’s blue chips back into the green as a friendlier tone from Trump calmed tariff jitters. Proof, perhaps, that diplomacy still moves markets.
5. HANetf: Co-CEO Hector McNeil said demand for gold and defence ETFs is surging, with one fund tripling in size. When the world gets tense, investors reach for their shields and their bullion.
Pick of the small-caps:
Mosman Oil and Gas Ltd (AIM:MSMN): Sitting on a billion cubic feet, soon reborn as Quantum Helium.
HeLIX Exploration PLC (AIM:HEX, OTCQB:HHEXF) Montana plant primed for first helium; production’s about to flow.
Helium One Global Ltd (AIM:HE1, OTCQB:HLOGF) Colorado project on track, leasing kit to keep spending light.
TThor Explorations Ltd (TSX-V:THX, AIM:THX, OTC:THXPF) Côte d'Ivoire drilling hits gold grades; more exploration after rains.
KEFI Gold and Copper PLC (AIM:KEFI, OTC:KFFLF) $240 million financing near, Tulu Kapi construction advancing towards 140,000 ounces.
ImmuPharma PLC (AIM:IMM) New director Ketan Patel brings seasoned healthcare investment insight to the board.