(Reuters) - UK’s FTSE 100 index fell on Friday, dragged lower by drugmaker AstraZeneca following its profit miss, while commodity-linked stocks slipped as a stronger dollar dented metal and oil prices.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index declined 0.3% at 0819 GMT, led by AstraZeneca after the COVID-19 vaccine maker pledged to not profit off the shot knocking of some earnings and reporting a smaller-than-expected profit.
A drop of 0.4% in shares of miners and 0.9% in energy stocks also weighed on the commodity-heavy FTSE 100 index, as the dollar strengthened against major peers on bets of an earlier-than-expected interest rate. [O/R] [MET/L]
According to a latest Chambers of Commerce survey, 80% of businesses suffer from price increases in the UK, adding to fears of inflation in the market, Bloomberg News reported.
The domestically focussed mid-cap index fell 0.1%, with industrial and machinery stocks among the worst performers.
Online trading platform IG Group slipped 0.1% after completion of a comprehensive refinancing of its debt, providing it with additional financial flexibility to grow.
Reporting by Bansari Mayur Kamdar; Editing by Shailesh Kuber
Source: Reuters