Close Bros reports strong Q3, AstraZeneca Covid vaccine authorised for use in Japan

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The FTSE 100 was called to open four points higher at 7,023.

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Close Brothers reported a strong third quarter boosted by new banking business and busy trading at its Winterflood securities operation.

The banking loan book increased 3.2% in the three months to the end of April to £8.2bn and by 7.7% in 2021 to date. Net inflows at the asset management business increased 6% and managed assets rose by £1bn to £14.8bn from the end of January.

Winterflood's trading was supported by active markets and its operating profit so far in 2021 is ahead of the figure for all of the previous year.

AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine has been granted a special approval for emergency use in Japan for people aged 18 years and older, the company said.

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare granted the approval based on positive Phase III efficacy and safety data from the Oxford University-led clinical trial programme in the UK, Brazil and South Africa, and a Phase I/II trial in Japan, it added in a statement.

Newspaper round-up

Carlos Ghosn, the fugitive automotive executive, has been ordered to repay £4.3m to Nissan and Mitsubishi by a Dutch court after he failed in the first step in a legal claim. Ghosn led the Japanese carmaker Nissan and France’s Renault in an alliance, before falling from grace spectacularly. At the end of 2018 he was arrested by prosecutors in Tokyo, charged with concealing his income, but fled to Lebanon a year later. – Guardian

Australia’s biggest cattle farmer has predicted that the nation’s beef exports to the UK could rise as much as tenfold if the two countries strike a free-trade deal. Boris Johnson is determined to push through a free-trade deal with Australia, despite warnings from the National Farmers’ Union over the “irreversible damage” such a deal would do to UK agriculture. It was discussed by ministers at a cabinet meeting on Thursday. - Guardian

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen has told Elon Musk that his region would host a new Tesla factory "in a flash" in a direct pitch to the billionaire. Issuing a Twitter plea to the US tech tycoon after The Telegraph revealed growing speculation that Mr Musk could seek to build a UK factory, Mr Houchen said: "Hartlepool and the Tees Valley still stand ready to deliver a new Gigafactory - Just say the word." - Telegraph

US Close

Wall Street stocks closed higher on Thursday amid a rebound in tech shares.

At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.55% at 34,084.15, while the S&P 500 was 1.06% firmer at 4,159.12 and the Nasdaq Composite saw out the session 1.77% stronger at 13,535.74.