FTSE in the lead as housebuilders boom, Facebook soars and England football fans head to Wembley

FTSE 100 climbed in early trades led by housebuilders as the UK’s housing market notched up another record month. London’s blue-chip index rose 26 points to 7,099.  

House prices in June rose at the fastest pace for seventeen years in June according to the latest survey from building society Nationwide. Prices jumped 13.4% over the year to an average £245,432.

Britain’s businesses, though, are facing  a “perfect storm” of staff shortages as the economy reopens, according to the CBI. Workers leaving due to Brexit and Covid-19 has left shortages  across the board, according to the employer’s association.

Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) value soared above US$1trn for the first time as it scored a victory in the ongoing legal battle over its market dominance after a US judge dismissed an antitrust complaint. The judge ruled the Federal Trade Commission failed to provide sufficient evidence that Facebook was a monopoly.

Among the small caps, Oriole Resources PLC (LON:ORR) has confirmed there is large-scale gold mineralisation at the Bibemi project in Cameroon. The miner has published results from the first drilling programme.

Feedback PLC (LON:FDBK) was granted the UK Conformity Assessed mark for its flagship medical imaging communications device Bleepa. The mark is a post-Brexit replacement for the CE mark.

SDX Energy PLC (LON:SDX) has kicked off a two-well drilling campaign on its South Disouq gas asset in Egypt. The group has already achieved five discoveries from seven wells drilled in the area.

And finally bosses are being have been encouraged to let their staff head off in time to see England’s 5pm showdown with Germany today. The old rivals will be fighting for a place in the quarter finals of Euro 2020 with more than 40, 000 fans at Wembley for the last-16 game. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said firms should be flexible and said managers should also allow workers to watch matches on-site. If it goes to penalties – I don’t think I can watch!

Story by ProactiveInvestors