FTSE 100 rose again though hopes of a substantial Santa rally in the last full day of trading before Christmas seem to have dissipated. The blue-chip index was up 11 at 7,353 in early trades.
Omicron was making the headlines again, though this time it was encouraging news. Early data studies suggest infections are milder and hospitalisations fewer than the Delta variant. An Edinburgh University study in particular said there was a 65% lower risk of being hospitalised with omicron.
UK car production in November was the lowest since 1984 reported trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Production fell 28.7% to 75,756 units with the semiconductor shortage cited as a reason.
Flutter Entertainment has bought Sisal, Italy's leading online gaming operator, for €1.9bn (£1.6bn) boosting its position in Europe’s second-largest regulated gambling market. The acquisition is set to complete in the second quarter of 2022.
Greatland Gold said initial drilling at its Juri joint venture had identified gold in eight of the nine holes with a magnetic survey also indicating several new targets. "We are delighted with the full set of results from the maiden drilling campaign," said Shaun Day, chief executive,
Love Hemp, the cannabidiol-based healthcare products group, is to try out an on-demand delivery service operated by home delivery specialist Deliveroo. A Love Hemp virtual store with the company's full range of products is now live.
Redx Pharma is to receive a US$9mln milestone payment following the initiation of a phase I trial of a drug it discovered. The payment is due to an agreement with AstraZeneca, which was inked last summer.