Shares in FTSE 250-listed Irn-Bru firm AG Barr nudged up 0.59% to £5.12 following its latest annual results.
The main markets in London had mixed fortunes, with the FTSE 100 slipping 26.72 points to 5,677.73 and the FTSE 250 rising 293.87, or nearly 2%, as traders digested the latest coronavirus developments.
The Alternative Investment Market for junior firms gained 15.22 points, or 2.1%, at 727.58.
Brent crude was up around 1.5% at $32.35 per barrel on the eve of crunch oil talks between Saudi Arabia and Russia.
Three of the UK’s biggest insurers – Aviva, Direct Line Insurance Group and RSA Insurance Group – saw their shares slump in value after they said they were scrapping planned dividends due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Aviva slid 4.91% to 253.6p, Direct Line fell 7.93% to 268.3p and RSA was 5.48% lower at 381.20p.
Regulators have urged the UK financial services industry to preserve cash amid the current economic uncertainty.
Dividend payments have been a hot topic in the City, with arguments made that shareholders such as pension funds need the cash. Savers will also miss out on their dividend income at a difficult time.
