20th Apr 2018 10:56
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (Alliance News) - UK stocks are modestly higher Friday morning, with the pound easing slightly against the US dollar following remarks from the central bank governor that there won't be an interest rate increase next month.
The FTSE 100 index is up 26.35 points or 0.34% at 7,355.27. On Thursday, the index ended higher by about 0.2%.
In the currency market, the British Pound is trading around USD1.4055, after closing at USD1.4082 on Thursday.
Reckitt Benckiser is down 6.6% after the company's first-quarter like-for-like sales growth, at 2%, fell short of expectations.
Shire is declining 2.6% and Rolls-Royce is down 1.7%. Next, EasyJet, Merlin Entertainment and Associated British Foods are down 0.8 to 1.2%.
Meanwhile, Intu Properties, Capita, CRH, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, BAE Systems, Barratt Development, Smiths Group, Imperial Brands, Standard Chartered, GlaxoSmithKline, Dixons Carphone and Vodafone Group are gaining 1.5 to 3.5%.
Related Shares:
Shire