*
AstraZeneca gains on results beat
*
Barclays rises after first-quarter profit
*
St. James Place drops on quarterly net flow miss
*
FTSE 100 flat, FTSE 250 off 0.1%
(Updates prices; adds comment, details)
By Shristi Achar A
April 27 (Reuters) - The UK's FTSE 100 struggled for
direction on Thursday as investors parsed a flurry of mixed
earnings updates, while shares of Capricorn Energy slumped on
reporting a full-year operating loss.
The blue-chip index traded flat, while the mid-cap
FTSE 250 edged 0.1% lower, as of 0830 GMT.
"We have got so much reporting on either side of the
Atlantic, it just leaves markets a bit uncertain of where to go
next," said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG Group.
"There is also so much on the agenda with GDP in the U.S., doing nothing is the default option for most investors at this point."
Markets have largely been in a wait-and-see mode in the
results-heavy week, with investors on the lookout for clues on
the impact of monetary tightening on earnings.
Investors also await U.S. first-quarter GDP data due later in the day for clues on the health of the world's largest economy.
Pharmaceuticals advanced 0.6%, lifted by a 0.4% rise in AstraZeneca after the drugmaker beat expectations for its first-quarter profit and revenue, helped by sales of its drugs in emerging markets. Banks added 1.0% led by Barclays gaining 4.7% after the lender's first-quarter profit exceeded expectations as strong performance from its credit card business offset pressure on other business lines. Limiting gains, investment banks lost 1.0%, dragged by a 5.0% fall in St. James Place Plc , after the asset manager's quarterly net flows missed expectations amidst a challenging economic environment.
Unilever gained 1.3% after it smashed quarterly sales forecasts as another big rise in prices triggered only a small dip in volumes. The personal care sector rose 1.2%.
Capricorn Energy shed 7.6% to the bottom of FTSE 250, after posting an operating loss of $160 million from continuing operations, owing to unsuccessful explorations outside Egypt as well as an impairment charge. (Reporting by Shristi Achar A in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema and Eileen Soreng)
UK hot stocks: and Wall Street: Gilts report: Euro bond report Pan European stock report: Tokyo stocks: HK stocks: Sterling report: Dollar report:
* For company prices, click on -
* Company directory: By sector:
* For pan-European market data, click on -
* European Equities speed guide................ FTSE Eurotop 300 index........................... DJ STOXX index................................... Top 10 STOXX sectors........................ Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors................... Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors.................. Top 25 European pct gainers.................... Top 25 European pct losers..................... ))
