FTSE 100 was back close to a two-year high, with the mood buoyed by the approach by Unilever for Glaxo’s consumer arm and the prospect of an end to Plan B restrictions. The index was up 49 at 7,591 in early trades.
Credit Suisse’s chair Antonio Horta-Osorio has resigned after just nine months following breach of Covid-19 quarantine rules. The former Lloyds chief executive was appointed by the Swiss bank to clean up its corporate culture.
China has cut interest rates for the first time in almost two years to boost its economy even though GDP jumped 8.1% in 2021. Weak consumption and a property downturn saw growth slow in the second half, however.
Boris Johnson is expected to lift all the Plan B restrictions implemented for Omicron in December before the end of the month. The measures include working from home, wearing face masks in busy indoor environments, and Covid passports for events at large venues.
Elsewhere, Endeavour Mining added a record three million measured and indicated ounces of gold to its resource inventory during 2021. That numbed exceeded the forecasted target by 2.5mln ounces.
Yooma Wellness’s MYO Plant Nutrition products will be stocked in Boots stores, the company said. The listing includes MYO's Plant Proteins in 838 stores, branched-chain amino acids and essential amino acids in up to 574 stores, and functional sprays in 522 stores.
Poolbeg Pharma said it has in-licensed a potential immunotherapy for respiratory virus infections such as influenza and coronavirus from the University of Warwick. The RNA-based drug works by triggering nasal cells into an antiviral state to protect from the infecting virus.