FTSE 100 movers: AstraZeneca gains on acquisition; HL in the red

(Sharecast News) - London's FTSE 100 was up 0.1% at 7,552.74 in afternoon trade on Tuesday. AstraZeneca gained after agreeing to buy US vaccine maker Icosavax for up to $1.1bn.

AstraZeneca said the deal will build on its expertise in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), strengthening its vaccines & immune therapies late-stage pipeline with Icosavax's lead investigational vaccine candidate, IVX-A12.

Rio Tinto was also in the black after JPMorgan upgraded the miner to 'overweight' from 'neutral'. In a research note on metals and mining, JPM cited iron ore and free cash flow yield resilience.

Going the other way, Hargreaves Lansdown slumped after the Financial Conduct Authority said it had written to investment platforms and SIPP operators to express concerns about the way in which they deal with interest earned on customers' cash balances.

BT Group and Vodafone also fell after Ofcom proposed to ban inflation-linked mid-contract price rises.

FTSE 100 - Risers

Rightmove (RMV) 595.00p 2.30% Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (PSH) 3,328.00p 2.09% AstraZeneca (AZN) 10,244.00p 1.47% Rio Tinto (RIO) 5,550.00p 1.20% InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 6,994.00p 1.19% Convatec Group (CTEC) 230.60p 1.05% Legal & General Group (LGEN) 242.80p 1.04% Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,513.00p 1.04% Reckitt Benckiser Group (RKT) 5,432.00p 0.93% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 299.60p 0.91%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 722.00p -5.65% BT Group (BT.A) 126.50p -3.69% Anglo American (AAL) 1,726.00p -3.52% Admiral Group (ADM) 2,732.00p -2.36% Vodafone Group (VOD) 67.26p -1.88% St James's Place (STJ) 679.80p -1.85% Smith (DS) (SMDS) 297.90p -1.68% Prudential (PRU) 883.80p -1.43% Airtel Africa (AAF) 114.20p -1.38% Imperial Brands (IMB) 1,793.00p -1.32%