London’s FTSE 100 gains on upbeat results; Capricorn Energy drops

The UK’s FTSE 100 edged higher on Thursday, snapping a three-day losing streak as markets cheered upbeat corporate updates, while shares of Capricorn Energy (LON:CNE) fell due to a full-year operating loss.

The blue-chip index was up 0.1%, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 lost 0.2%, as of 0717 GMT.

Pharmaceuticals gained 1.9%, lifted by a 2.1% rise in AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) after the drugmaker beat expectations for its first-quarter profit and revenue, helped by sales of its drugs in emerging markets.

Banks added 0.7%, led by Barclays (LON:BARC) gaining 2.7% after the lender’s first-quarter profit exceeded expectations as strong performance from its credit card business offset pressure on other business lines.

Unilever (LON:ULVR) gained 1.3% after it smashed quarterly sales forecasts as another big rise in prices triggered only a small dip in volumes.

Capricorn Energy shed 6.2% on posting an operating loss of $160 million from continuing operations, owing to unsuccessful explorations outside Egypt as well as an impairment charge.