FTSE 100 edges up on AstraZeneca boost

London's FTSE 100 inched higher in early deals on Tuesday, as AstraZeneca advanced after its diabetes drug Farxiga met the main goal of a heart failure study, offsetting a post-earnings drop for miner BHP. The FTSE 100 added 0.2%, tracking gains in other major stock markets overnight as hopes grew of fresh stimulus from central banks and governments to beat back the risk of recession. The mid-cap FTSE 250 also gained 0.2% by 0709 GMT.

AstraZeneca rose 1.5% and was the biggest boost to the blue-chip index after the results of the Farxiga study. Shares in mining heavyweight BHP shed 2% as a warning that global economic headwinds could hit demand for iron ore and copper took the shine off its largest annual profit in five years.

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