FTSE 100 sits tight; Ryanair Holdings plc in demand after US clears Boeing 737

• FTSE 100 closes 20 points higher
• Boeing gets clearance for 737 Max aircraft
• Unilever sets food environmental goals

5.10pm: FTSE closes up

FTSE 100 index closed mid-week in the green as vaccine hopes perked up the market again.

Britain’s blue-chip benchmark closed ahead by nearly 20 points at 6,385, while FTSE 250 added over 183 points at 19,699.

On Wall Street, benchmarks were also heading north, with the Dow Jones up over 78 points and the S&P 500 ahead by over eight.

“Stocks are higher as the vaccine race is heating up now that and BioNTech confirmed their potential Covid-19 vaccine is 95% effective,” noted David Madden, analyst at CMC Markets.

“Early last week, the companies announced that it was more than 90% effective so good progress has been made in the short time period. On Monday, Moderna Inc said their hopeful coronavirus vaccine is 94.5% effective so things are neck and neck in the drug race,” said the analyst.

Meanwhile, sterling firmed 0.36% against the US dollar on potential hopes of a Brexit EU-UK deal coming into view.

“Yesterday it was announced that trade talks would intensify and there has been speculation that the discussions are coming to be head, but nothing concrete has been established,” said Madden.

3.40pm: Ryanair in demand after US clears Boeing 737 Max aircraft 

FTSE 100 sat tight before close, adding 24 points to 6,389 although sterling rallied 0.4% to US$1.3298 on hopes for a Brexit deal.

Meanwhile, () rose 3% to €15.4 after the US authorities lifted the grounding orders on the Boeing 737 Max aircraft.

The US Federal Aviation Administration investigated on the planes’ safety after two deadly crashes in October 2018 and March 2019.

The manufacturer will have to change their design and pilots will need training, so the clearance doesn’t mean there will be an immediate return to the skies.

Ryanair operates a fleet of over 470 Boeing 737-800 series aircraft and had orders for 135 new Boeing 737 MAX 200s before the flight ban, with options for 75 more.

3.30pm: Proactive North America headlines:

Loop Insights Inc () () selected to join Impact Radius Marketplace and its global affiliate marketing platform

NexTech AR Solutions Corp () () (FRA:N29) CEO Evan Gappelberg to present at Proactive Livestream on November 19

Gungnir Resources Inc () (OTCPINK:ASWRF) (FRA:AMO1) plans to increase spend at Rormyrberget and Lappvattnet nickel assets next year as it hails updated resource estimate

True Leaf Brands Inc () (OTCPINK:TRLFF) (FRA:TLA) completes its successful restructuring; reacquires certain assets

BevCanna Enterprises Inc () () (FRA:7BC)  eyeing launch of Keef and Cali-Bloom products in first quarter of 2021

Namaste Inc () () (FRA:M5BQ) strikes share purchase agreement to acquire remaining 49% interest in CannMart Labs for full ownership

BetterLife Inc () () (FRA:NPAU) says its AP-003 coronavirus treatment has similarities with ‘s vaccine

Ltd () () (FRA:31R) in research collaboration to develop psilocybin to treat cancer and discover novel uses of undisclosed psychedelic compounds

Mining  Inc () (OTCQX:HGGOF) says latest step-out holes in Alaska extend high-grade mineralization at Johnson Tract Deposit

Karora Resources Inc () (OTCMKTS:KRRGF) (FRA:5RN1) announces new, high-grade gold results from its Spargos project in Australia

2.45pm: Wall Street sees sluggish start despite vaccine news

Hopes of a surge on Wall Street following new vaccine news from appear to have been overstated, with the main indices making a somewhat subdued start on Wednesday morning.

Shortly after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.14% to 29,825, while the S&P 500 was mostly flat at 3,609 and the Nasdaq was up just 0.08% at 11,909.

The positivity around the vaccine may have been overtaken by continually surging cases of…