FTSE 100 Closes Lower Amid Losses in Energy Stocks and AstraZeneca
Market Overview and Key Movers
May 1 (Reuters) - London's blue-chip FTSE 100 closed slightly lower on Friday, dragged down by losses in heavyweight energy stocks and drugmaker AstraZeneca, while a looming UK public holiday thinned trade.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index ended 0.1% lower at 10,363.93 points, while the midcap FTSE 250 climbed 0.3%.
Major Decliners
AstraZeneca
• AstraZeneca shed 3.1% after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted against recommending an experimental breast cancer treatment the drugmaker has said is central to its long-term growth ambitions.
NatWest
• NatWest reported a 12% rise in first-quarter profit, but its shares fell 3.4% after the lender's non-interest income was 7% below analysts' forecasts.
Energy Stocks
• Heavyweight energy stocks Shell and BP were among the biggest drags on the blue-chip index, tracking weakness in crude oil prices.
Other Market Influences
Geopolitical Developments
• Tehran has submitted its latest proposal for negotiations with the United States, but it is unclear whether it can break a deadlock in efforts to end the Iran war.
Top Gainers
Pearson
• The gainers included Pearson, which rose 3.1% after the education company said demand for its virtual learning products drove a 4% rise in first-quarter underlying group sales.
Unilever and Rolls-Royce
• Consumer staples giant Unilever jumped 2.6% to hit a one-month high, while engineering company Rolls-Royce added 1.5%, extending gains a day after it reiterated its profit outlook.
Diageo
• Spirits maker Diageo ended 0.7% higher. It had risen by as much as 2.8% after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was removing tariffs on UK-made whisky.
Market Sentiment and Trading Volumes
Weekly Performance
• The FTSE 100 clocked marginal weekly declines, taking its consecutive weekly losses to a third after mixed corporate earnings this week hit sentiment.
Trading Volumes
• Trading volumes on London exchanges were well below their 20-day moving average, as most markets across Europe were closed on Friday and Britain has a bank holiday on Monday.
Reporting and Editing
(Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; editing by Barbara Lewis)
