RAMSEY CROOKALL & CO

28 APRIL  2011 Evening Report

The FTSE 100 remains little changed on the day.

In company news drug groups Shire and AstraZeneca are lower after reporting their first quarter results. While Shire posted a strong rise in revenues and profits in the period, sentiment seems to have been hit by sector peer Astra which cited US healthcare reform measures and generic competition as the reasons why its own revenues and profits fell.

Meanwhile, life assurance group Standard Life is one of the best performing stocks after seeing strong sales across its long-term savings business in the first quarter. Peers Legal & General, Aviva and Prudential have risen in sympathy.

Elsewhere, cigarette giant British American Tobacco is under the weather after volumes declined in the first quarter. Nevertheless, the group assured investors that it was able to grow market share across all its regions.

Finally, electricity generator International Power is wanted after pro forma revenue rose from €3.70bn to €4.05bn in the three months ended 31 March, mainly due to a strong performance in Latin America and the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.

THE FTSE 100 CLOSED Up 1 @ 6069

THE DOW JONES  AT 4.40 IS Up 30 @    12,721

THE NASDAQ COMP AT 4.40 Up 1 @     2869

Exchange Rates

GBP – USD           1.664 GBP - EURO         1.125