The London equities markets were mixed on Monday, with the FTSE 100 adding 0.5 percent to 6,030.9 but the FTSE 250 dropping 0.2 percent to 10, 152.3.
The pharmaceuticals sector was higher on the session. Glaxo-Smith-Kline gained 0.6 percent to £14.54 on talk that it is engaged in discussions with Novartis concerning a merger. Shire added 14.9 percent for the best performance among blue-chips, to £10.08 when the Food and Drug Administration in the United States approved its NRP104 treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder for use there.
Media companies didn’t have nearly so good a day. Reed Elsevier dropped 1 percent to 588½p on rumors that a profits warning is forthcoming. EMI fell 1.9 percent to 264¾p in anticipation of a less than encouraging trading update due next week. ITV, meanwhile, was 2.2 percent lower to 100¼p when UBS lowered its advertising growth prediction for the broadcaster, removed it from its “buy” list, and cut its earnings per share forecast for both this year and next.
Homebuilders were mixed, with Redrow up 1.4 percent to 630p but Barratt Developments 1.6 percent lower to £10.98 as rumors that Barratt is interested in a takeover of Redrow continued to ciruclate.
In the steel sector, Corus added 2.7 percent to 494p on reports that Tata Steel of India could be close to an offer worth £5 billion.
Marks and Spencer was 1.3 percent higher to 662½p, near a record high, on positive comments and an increased target share price from Morgan Stanley.