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The FTSE 100 was up this morning as the Lloyds Bank Business Barometer revealed optimism about the economy is at its highest level since before the 2016 Brexit referendum.
Pharma giant AstraZeneca said Tagrisso had been approved in the European Union to treat patients with early-stage epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated non-small cell lung cancer. The approval by the European Commission was based on positive results from the ADAURA phase 3 trial.
AstraZeneca's share price rose by 1.09% to £80.12.
Care-based housing and healthcare REIT Civitas Social Housing said it had completed the acquisition of 10 supported living properties across Hertfordshire, Essex, Suffolk and Wales for £8.6 million.
The properties are leased to Inclusion Housing Community Interest company, with rents adjusted annually in line with CPI over the full-term and are subject to a lower limit of inflation of 0% per annum and a maximum indexation of 4% per annum.
Civitas Social Housing's share price remained at £11.76.
Irn-bru maker AG Barr said it had made a strong start to the new fiscal year, and the easing of lockdown restrictions have boosted its sales, with return of demand from hospitality and leisure sectors.
'While the pace and extent of the reopening of the hospitality sector varies by region, our Funkin business is already beginning to see the benefits, delivering on-trade sales that provide optimism for the sector's recovery,' the company said.
AG Barr's share price fell 0.75% to £5.26.
All 19 resolutions at Oxford Biometrics were passed by shareholders at the company's AGM on 27 May, including a new directors' remuneration policy.
Some 80.94% of shareholders voted to replace the directors' remuneration policy approved in 2018 with a new policy as referred to in Resolution 3.
Its share price rose 0.17% to £11.54.
Susanne Given will step down as non-executive director of Tritax Big Box Reit with effect from 14 September 2021 in order to focus on her other business commitments.
A selection process for an additional non-executive director is currently underway and the company said it will update the market in due course.
The firm's share price was down 0.46% to £1.96.
The Edinburgh Investment Trust declared a special dividend after reporting a net asset value returns that topped its benchmark as markets rebounded.
Fr the financial year ended 31 March 2021, net asset value on a total return basis was 34.8%. Compared with a total return of 26.7% for the FTSE All-Share Index, the company benchmark.
Edinburgh Investment Trust's share price rose 0.11% to £6.32.
Last year, specialist security and services company Westminster Group achieved 91% of its 2019 revenue as the company's technology and services divisions delivered robust performances.
Despite the material impact from Covid-19 and restrictions during lockdown, the company's 2020 revenues totalled £10.0m not far off from £10.9m in 2019. Loss after tax improved to £0.7m from £1.3m in 2019.
The company's share price was down 0.73% to 4.07 pence.