Vaccine breakthrough pushes up Informa shares 27% with hoteliers and airlines also making gains

With news breaking this morning, 9 November, of a ‘Milestone’ vaccine offering 90% protection against Covid-19, exhibition organiser Informa plc was the third highest riser on the FTSE100 share index, putting on gains of over 30% at one point before settling setting at 27% up at noon in London. Large companies in the events sector, hospitality and airlines also put on big gains, with Compass Group the fourth highest riser and InterContinental Hotel Group seventh in the FTSE100. British Airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG) stock rose 40% at one stage on 9 November. For every upward move there is often a downward one to compensate and companies losing over 10% of their value included Zoom, Ocado and Just Eat. The vaccine developers – Pfizer and BioNTech – were quoted in news reports as describing Monday 9 November as a “great day for science and humanity”. Their vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised reportedly. Charlie McCurdy (pictured), CEO Informa Markets, told CMW: “We are truly encouraged by the announcement that the vaccine in this trial has proven to be 90% effective. This is a positive sign, not just for our industry, but for the business communities we bring together and for the cities in which we host our exhibitions around the globe. An effective vaccine, alongside close partnership with health authorities, governments and venue partners, will help to restore permissions and confidence as we look forward to the return of controlled in-person gatherings, such as we have seen in Mainland China. In the meantime, we continue to innovate and develop our digital and data solutions that offer our customers even more opportunities to connect apart from and alongside our tradeshows.”