LONDON MARKETS: FTSE 100 Continues Record Run, Rising For 14th Day In A Row
January 13 2017 - 11:12AM
Dow Jones News
By Sara Sjolin and Victor Reklaitis, MarketWatch
Drugmakers recover after Trump-fueled selloff
U.K. stocks gained for a 14th straight day on Friday, extending
their record winning run as a soft pound helped spur investors to
buy into British multinationals.
The FTSE 100 index rose 0.6% to finish at 7,337.81, scoring
another record close. The gauge marked a 12th consecutive all-time
closing high, the longest such streak ever.
For the week, the London benchmark nabbed a 1.8% gain, achieving
its sixth straight weekly advance.
Sterling pressure: The index ended marginally higher on Thursday
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ftse-100-falls-after-retailers-reveal-christmas-trading-figures-2017-01-12)
after the pound was driven lower.
The resumed selling pressure on sterling followed media reports
that Prime Minister Theresa May will deliver a landmark speech
Tuesday
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/uk-pm-theresa-may-to-deliver-major-brexit-speech-tuesday-2017-01-12)
on plans for negotiating the U.K.'s exit from the European
Union.
Critics have accused May
(https://twitter.com/TheEconomist/status/817110825206956032) of
being unclear and not providing details on Brexit efforts. But the
British leader has denied the government's approach
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dollar-kicks-off-week-higher-still-juiced-by-jobs-data-2017-01-09)
is "muddled," while signaling a so-called "hard Brexit" is
likely.
A hard Brexit refers to a scenario where the U.K. regains
control of its borders, but gives up access to the EU's single
market. Economists fear losing access to the single market -- the
U.K.'s biggest export market -- will hurt domestic business
activity, and particularly the financial sector.
The pound recovered somewhat Friday, with sterling buying
$1.2202 compared with $1.2163 late Thursday in New York. But it was
still down by nearly 1% against the dollar for the week.
A weaker pound helps lift FTSE 100 companies, as it tends to aid
multinationals that generate the bulk of their revenue outside of
Britain.
Movers and shakers: Drugmakers rebounded, having fallen after
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's press conference on Wednesday.
Trump hinted at forthcoming legislation
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/biotech-etfs-fall-as-trump-says-more-bidding-needed-on-drugs-2017-01-11)
that could erode the sector's profitability.
Shares of Shire PLC (SHPG) (SHPG) climbed 2.3%, Hikma
Pharmaceuticals PLC (HIK.LN) gained 2%, and AstraZeneca PLC
(AZN.LN) (AZN.LN) added 1.2%.
"Markets have pared bets the president-elect's hostile attitude
to drug pricing would spill over to international markets," said
Jasper Lawler, senior market analyst at London Capital Group, in a
note.
Precious-metals miners declined as gold and silver prices moved
lower
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-heads-for-2-weekly-gain-as-dollar-wobbles-2017-01-13).
Shares of Fresnillo PLC (FRES.LN) gave up 0.6%, and Randgold
Resources Ltd. (RRS.LN) (RRS.LN) fell 1.3%.
Outside the main index, SIG PLC (SHI.LN) soared 16% after the
building products supplier reported a rise in sales and reassured
investors by forecasting underlying pretax profit within its
previous guidance.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 13, 2017 11:57 ET (16:57 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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