The Market Report with Katie Pilbeam.
FTSE 100 opened higher as the UK jobless numbers came in well below forecasts. London’s blue-chip index added 37 to 7,070.
Amazon is said to be eyeing up MGM Studios in a US$9bn deal. The news came just hours after AT&T agreed to merge with Discovery as the battle for streaming content ratchets up. MGM is one of Hollywood's most famous studios with a vast back catalogue of iconic content.
GlaxoSmithKline PLC (LON:GSK) has announced its second good bit of Covid-19 vaccine news this week. Trials with Canada’s Medicago of a plant-derived candidate have gone well, it said.
Gas-fired boilers should be banned from 2025 according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The move is one of 400 steps proposed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Among the small caps, Conroy Gold and Natural Resources PLC (LON:CGNR) has commenced its drilling programme at Clontibret in County Monaghan, Ireland. The main focus is developing a gold deposit.
BATM Advanced Communications Limited (LON:BVC) has commenced the delivery of two new diagnostic tests for COVID-19. One client is the Italian Olympic Committee, which will use the kits for the upcoming Olympic Games in Japan.
Union Jack Oil PLC (LON:UJO) has got the greenlight to boost production volumes at the Wressle oil field in England. The oiler owns 40% of the project.