The Market Report with Katie Pilbeam. FTSE 100 made a mixed start as markets overseas continued to drift. London’s leading index added 8 points to 7,035 in early deals.
GlaxoSmithKline PLC (LON:GSK) and Vir Biotechnology have received emergency use authorisation in the US for their COVID-19 treatment. The drug will be given people with mild-to-moderate symptoms who are at risk of getting worse.
Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE:UBER) has agreed a historic deal with GMB trade union. It’s the first time drivers of the so-called gig economy can join a union to be represented.
Pets at Home Group PLC (LON:PETS) reported record results for the past year as Britons adopted more pets during the pandemic. However, profits dipped due to higher safety costs because of COVID-19.
Apollon Formularies PLC (LON:APOL) and partner Aion Therapeutic Inc. (CSE:AION) said joint testing has revealed their combined formulations of medicinal cannabis and medicinal mushrooms are effective in killing HER2+ breast cancer cells. When the two were combined nearly 100% of tHER2+ breast cancer cells were killed.
Lettings agent Belvoir Group PLC (LON:BLV) said trading in the first four months of 2021 was materially ahead of management’s expectations. Management service fees (MSF), the group's key underlying income stream from its property franchise division, was up 22% on 2020.
Sensyne Health PLC (LON:SENS) said revenues in the year to April just ended more than quadrupled as a contract for its MagnifEye AI technology with Excalibur started to come through. Sensyne added that it was also seeing strong growth in its patient database.