FTSE

AstraZeneca has invested $2bn in US biotech firm Summit Therapeutics as part of a major cancer research collaboration. The FTSE 100 drugmaker agreed to buy 109,000 shares in the Nasdaq-listed company at $18.36 per share, funding a tie-up aimed at developing new cancer treatments.

The FTSE 100 rose modestly as investors grew more hopeful that diplomatic efforts over Iran could ease tensions. Reports carried by financial outlets in Australia, Singapore and beyond noted stocks inching higher, with markets cautiously pricing in the prospect of talks rather than escalation. Traders are watching for further signs of de-escalation in the region.

The UK's FTSE 100 index dropped as rising oil prices and bond yields weighed on European stock markets. The decline, reported by Bloomberg, reflects wider pressure on equities across the continent, with investors responding to higher borrowing costs and energy prices. UK markets are in focus as traders assess how the pullback fits into broader European market weakness.

WOI India has acquired SwiftSeed Ventures and appointed Amar Dixit as chief executive of the business. The deal, reported by The Economic Times, brings the venture firm under WOI India's ownership, with Dixit taking charge of its operations and strategy. Details on the transaction's value and the two firms' plans have not been disclosed.

Investors are tracking AstraZeneca's London-listed stock (AZN.L), with financial news outlets highlighting its current price, quote data and trading history. The pharmaceuticals giant remains a widely followed name on the FTSE 100, and coverage of its share performance is drawing interest from market watchers monitoring moves in the healthcare sector.

Credo Technology Group Holding, the connectivity chipmaker traded as CRDO, has been added to the FTSE All World Index, prompting debate among investors about whether its share price fairly reflects the company's prospects. Inclusion in the index typically brings buying from passive funds, and analysts are weighing that support against the stock's valuation after recent gains.

Commentary on UK markets is focusing on how the FTSE 100 responds to three forces: rising bond yields, higher oil prices and shifting global risk sentiment. The analysis argues that higher yields raise borrowing costs and compete with equities, while oil prices feed inflation, and it points to more stable yields and easing geopolitical tensions as conditions that could steady the index.

Walgreens Boots Alliance, the parent company of UK pharmacy chain Boots, is reportedly close to a deal selling the business to Canada's Weston family for around $9 billion. The sale would put the health and retail group in the hands of one of Canada's best-known retail dynasties, ending years of speculation about the company's future and restructuring under its US owner.